A guy who trashed a cop car a couple of times, and then burglarized a home in Polk County decided that he was no ordinary vandal but that he was, in fact, The Joker.
And while The Joker from the Batman movies is a demented clown guy that kills people and then laughs maniacally, this real life Joker was arrested for throwing rocks at a cop car and stealing a flashlight.
According to Polk County Sheriff's deputies, 22-year old Matthew James Lash tossed concrete blocks and rocks at a patrol car, shattering the car's windows. Lash then took a flashlight from the patrol car and then proceeded to smash the officer's personal truck as well.
Lash allegedly also burglarized a home in the neighborhood, and left a note on the front doors of both the home he robbed and the home of officer's vehicles he trashed.
The notes read: "The Joker is Here! Jokes on you Bitch."
And with that, the joker vanished without a trace.
Until three days later, when someone called the cops on him when they saw him throwing rocks at other stuff.
This time, it was a sliding door at another home in the neighborhood.
When police responded, Lash was "acting erratically," and was walking around with a rifle in his hand. Cops ordered him to go home, and he did.
He then returned with a box cutter in his hand.
That's when police decided to arrest Lash.
Yes, it's totally cool to walk around acting like an imbecile with a rifle in your hand, but you've done crossed the line when you start whipping out those box cutters because, Florida!
When he was arrested, Lash told police he had no ill will towards the officer whom he targeted, and that he had been drinking.
The Polk County Sheriff's department released a statement addressing Lash's actions:
"We take it very seriously when someone specifically targets a law enforcement officer at his home or at work. When people target deputies and other public servants, they are targeting the community's public safety. We don't take it as a joke and we will make sure 'The Joker' is held accountable for his actions."
Lash was arrested on burglary, criminal mischief and firing a weapon into a structure charges. He is being held without bond.
The fact that the official statement from the Polk County police very seriously calls him "The Joker" amuses us to no end.
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