Why would someone steal a $3 taco? I assure you the primary motivating factor was not hunger. In the following story about a University of Florida student my guess that the motivating reason behind his theft of a $3 taco was arrogance. He did it because he thought he could. His arrogance is going to cost him.

James Perez owns a taco kiosk in Gainesville, Florida. He had had no idea it was a former Gators basketball player who was arrested for stealing a $3 taco from his downtown food stand.

Digital media to the Rescue

When Perez took a closer look at his phone later in the day, each new text or email from one of his friends led to a story saying the 5-foot-8, 178-pound man he chased across three blocks was Erving Walker –- UF’s all-time leader in assists and the lone senior on this year’s team.

Walker stopped at the Tacos Locos food stand and took off with the taco. Perez began to chase Walker down the street.

Surely Walker thought he got away with it. So surprised was he that he was being chased that he tripped and fell, dropping the taco in the process.

Walker admitted to police that he knew he had not paid for the taco when he initially ran off and that he was “just playing around.” He then complained to the taco stand owner that he was some kind of jerk for pursuing him over a $3 taco.

Hopefully, a Florida theft class and the embarrassment this incident created will make him think twice before stealing again.