Florida deputies responded to an unusual incident on the evening of December 20 at a Bass Pro Shops in Gulf Coast Town Center, Fort Myers, after a young man entered the popular outdoor retail store and made off with a 50-pound live tarpon from the indoor fish pond.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is now on the hunt for the thief, who was caught on camera fleeing the store with the fish thrashing around in hand.

According to authorities, the suspect entered the Bass Pro Shops armed with a fishing net and targeted the store’s tarpon in the indoor pond.

He subsequently made a swift exit, leaving onlookers stunned. 

A witness captured the theft on video, which was quickly shared on social media and depicted the suspect exiting the store with the stolen fish in a net.

Detectives from LCSO are actively working to identify the suspect and have enlisted the help of the Animal Cruelty Task Force, MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife and SWFL Crime Stoppers to aid in their efforts.

In a statement, the sheriff’s office wryly remarked: “We guess you could say THIS one will o-fish-ially catch your eye.”

As tarpon is a federally protected fish, the theft is being treated more seriously.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is collaborating with LCSO to investigate the incident and ensure the well-being of the fish.

Chance Floyd, an employee at Bass Pro Shop, also commented on the episode.

“Somebody came up to me holding a scale of a tarpon and said, look, somebody just stole a tarpon,” recounted Floyd. “It turns out it was a real tarpon; like it didn’t even cross my mind that somebody would stoop that low to steal such a federally protected fish and potentially put it in harm’s way.”

This isn’t the first time a Bass Pro Shops in the area has made headlines for unusual incidents. 

In 2020, another individual made waves by jumping into a fish tank. Authorities are urging anyone with information on the recent tarpon theft to contact SWFL Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS or the Lee County Sheriff’s Office directly at 239-477-1000.

“We’re #FishingForInformation & would love nothin’ more than to chum it up with this guy,” deputies said in a Facebook post. “Don’t Get Caught Aiding & A-bait-ing.”