HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Texas man, once indicted federally for aggravated robbery, will be going to court this summer on felony theft charges out of Hendersonville.
The Hendersonville Police Department called Patrick Renoid Smith a “jugger,” which is someone who waits outside banks or jewelry stores and then follows victims home to steal their valuable possessions.
In November 2023, authorities said a Hendersonville man left a Nashville jewelry store with a $51,000 Rolex he was having assessed for value. Smith is accused of following that customer back to Hendersonville and then stealing the watch from the man’s car.
Law enforcement showed News 2 surveillance footage from that Green Hills jewelry store, showing the parking lot and the suspect’s car just outside the door.
HPD Cmdr. Jimmy Garrett said two detectives investigating the Rolex theft were at the store to pull the video. Then, an alert security guard reportedly pointed out the silver Lexus, saying it had been suspiciously parked out front, just like what happened before the Rolex theft days earlier.
“The suspect from our incident and the Metro incident on November 14th had parked in this general area to watch the front door,” Garrett told News 2, pointing to the Lexus on the screen.
That’s when the two Hendersonville detectives came up with an idea. They grabbed a store bag that looked like it was weighted down with a jewelry box and, pretending to be satisfied shoppers, walked right by the Lexus.
“They’re just walking, they’re talking… This one right here is saying, ‘Hey, you’re wife’s going to love that diamond bracelet that you bought her for Christmas. It’s a great gift. She’s going to be really surprised,’” Garrett explained.
Police said the driver in the Lexus was none other than Smith. Then, when the detectives left the lot, the Texas man allegedly followed them.
According to Garrett, the detectives spent nearly an hour traveling back to Hendersonville, all while the Lexus stayed behind them. The detectives called their boss, so officers were waiting to intercept and pull the Lexus over.
Once Smith was taken into custody, authorities looked inside the car and found a window punch and glass resistant gloves. Law enforcement said they also discovered $8,000 in cash, which was the same amount of money taken from a Nashville victim a few days earlier.
While the Rolex watch wasn’t recovered, investigators said HPD did develop other evidence tying Smith to the crimes.
Because of their good police work, the detectives whose idea at the jewelry store led to Smith’s arrest received a commendation. In addition, a picture of them with the jewelry bag now hangs in the squad room.
The Hendersonville case solved Nashville’s case, as well.
Smith was booked into the Downtown Detention Center on Wednesday, April 1 for theft, vehicle burglary, and vandalism. However, the 39-year-old is already back in the Sumner County Jail for theft over $10,000, burglary, possession of burglary tools, and attempt to introduce contraband in a penal facility.
Smith is set to go to court for the Hendersonville charges on June 23.
Article provided by WKRN ABC 2 News, click HERE to view