Theft attempt at tractor supply store goes awry as armed customer blows out getaway car's tire

"I was trying to call 911 while we were seeing what was going on," Clark told WPMI-TV. The two suspects, now identified as Troy Brown and Toby Priest, thought they were going to get away with the crime, but the store's customers rescued the situation. One of them pulled Priest out of the getaway SUV, witnesses said. "What was funny is the guy put his hands up to his mouth and went like that, and when he went like that, a big o'l bag full of white powder came and hit the ground. It was like dude, we all know you threw it," Maxie told the station. "You got like 15 people standing around, everybody is going to be able to tell."

The other suspect, Brown, fled the scene but was stopped when another customer shot out at least one of the getaway vehicle's tires. "They kind of beat on each other inside the car, the guy was trying to [hit the driver's hands] so he wouldn't start the car," Maxie explained. "Unfortunately he was able to get it started and floored it back, so the guy had to step back so he didn't get hit. When he floored it back he came out this entrance ... and went to that light right there and hit a U-turn and kind of did a couple of donuts in the road."

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The SUV was later found by Mobile Police abandoned on Highway 90 at the Interstate 10 entrance with at least one flat tire. Witnesses told WPMI that police eventually tracked down Brown, who had changed into different clothes. "The guy that was in the car had a mask on so it was kind of difficult to tell," Maxie said.

Both suspects were booked into Mobile Metro Jail on a charge of third-degree felony theft. Meanwhile, Maxie had a stark warning for crooks trying such stunts in his neighborhood. "Don't come to Theodore and rob a Tractor Supply without knowing the person is going to have a gun," he told WPMI, adding, "Everyone is walking around with guns in Theodore."