Tipton County Sheriff Shannon Beasley gave a warning to criminals coming from Memphis that should they commit crimes in his jurisdiction, they are going to spend time in jail.
He made his comments after a smash-and-grab robbery at a liquor store, where the thieves break the glass door and steal thousands of dollars in booze.
"It was just a matter of time. When knew it's been coming out of Memphis. We've had three break-ins in Tipton County recently. They look like Memphis-style break-ins and, of course, there's no consequences to breaking in," Judson Naifeh told WREG.
In announcing some of the suspects had been apprehended, Beasley said his county does not treat criminals like Memphis does:
I will say this again, if you bring it to us we are going to bring it back at you! If you think we are going to let you run back to Memphis, or anywhere else, without any consequences...you've got us confused. You may walk out of jail in other areas without posting bond but I promise you, you will NOT walk away from here without sitting in our "five star" facility and thinking about what stupid choices you made.
"It's no shade to Memphis. It's all across the country, especially in our larger cities, where it seems that the criminals are not punished. They're treated like the victim instead of the criminal...If want you come up here and commit those crimes, and you got the time to sit in jail, I promise you I got the place to put you," Beasley said.
Naifeh said all things considered, if his store had to be broken in, it's good it happened in Tipton County because he knows the criminals will be punished.