By ASSOCIATED PRESS and SNEJANA FARBEROV FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
A Florida man has been jailed after police say he threatened to return to a Walmart store with a gun if the remote control car he was buying did not work.
Clearwater police spokesman Rob Shaw says police arrested 33-year-old Anthony Reed on Monday evening on a felony charge of making a false report about using a firearm in a violent manner.
According to an arrest report, Reed made the threat on Friday, just days after 22 people were killed in a shooting rampage at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart.
The report cited by Tampa Bay Times says Reed may be a 'sovereign citizen' - a term that refers to anti-government extremists who consider themselves not subject to any laws.
At around noon on Friday, Reed reportedly was dropped off by his wife at the big-box store on US 19 North, where he told an employee he's 'serious about his money' and would come back with a gun if the car did not function properly.
'If I get home and this is broken, I’m going to snap and come back here with a gun,' he was quoted as telling the store clerk.
The customer's threat created a 'well-founded fear' for employees, according to the report.
Reed proceeded to purchase the toy with his wife's debit card, after which he left the store.
Police identified Reed through the store's surveillance system. During an interview on Monday, Reed told investigators he was joking and does not own a gun.
Reed's bond was set at $100,000. He remained in the Pinellas County Jail on Wednesday.