PINELLAS PARK

Police: Man says he was growing weed to practice for future business

Raymond Douglas Penrod, 40, claimed he was just trying to be proactive by growing marijuana plants in his garage, deputies said.

When officers arrested him March 10, according to arrest reports, he said he was practicing so that when marijuana is legalized he can open a business.

In addition to three marijuana plants and an assortment of related paraphernalia, Pinellas deputies wrote in the report that they also found meth pipes in Penrod's home at 5828 79th Ave. N.

He faces drug, criminal mischief and domestic battery charges, according to jail records.

LARGO

Man tells officer he keeps a bat concealed in his car 'because it looks good there'

When officers pulled Eddie Lee Marry over at Hillsdale Avenue and Martin Street on March 14, they noticed a 2-foot bat in the well of his driver's side door, according to an arrest report.

Marry, 41, told them he had recently cleaned out his car but kept the bat, police wrote in the report. Asked why, he responded: "Because it looks good there."

He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, according to the report.

ST. PETERSBURG

Pair accused of putting unwrapped bacon in purse during attempted theft at Publix

A 34-year-old man and 21-year-old woman tried to pilfer a package of bacon from Publix on March 12 by stowing the meat in a purse, according to arrest reports.

Nikolas James Armstrong and Savanna Marie Scudder face retail theft charges.

According to the reports, Armstrong unwrapped the bacon package, worth $6.25, and put the strips in Scudder's purse at the Publix on Third Street S.

It was not clear in the arrest reports if the bacon was cooked or uncooked.

Compiled by Zachary T. Sampson, Times staff writer