A quick-thinking off-duty deputy and advanced license plate reader technology helped local police identify a suspect accused of stealing an air conditioner from a Rural King store.

According to a report from the Crossville Police Department, the incident occurred on the afternoon of July 17, 2026. Surveillance footage showed a man in a red shirt and jeans enter the store’s foyer, place a window air conditioning unit into a shopping cart, and walk right out without paying—all in under a minute. The suspect loaded the unit into a silver Toyota Tacoma and left the scene heading toward West Avenue.

An off-duty Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputy who witnessed the theft recognized the suspect as Timothy Phipps and alerted store employees.

Officer Brittany Price utilized the department’s FLOCK camera system to track the fleeing vehicle. By filtering for the truck’s specific features—including a silver tool box, tinted windows, mud splatter, and a TRD off-road decal—the system located the Tacoma at a nearby intersection minutes after the theft. The camera captured a clear image of the license plate along with the stolen air conditioner resting in the truck bed.

Officer Price further confirmed the suspect’s identity by matching distinct tattoos seen in store footage with previous booking photos of Phipps.

A warrant for theft has been issued for Phipps’ arrest, and the case remains pending while police await additional surveillance footage from the store.