Police believe `` Plasma Pat '' has conned victims in about a dozen different places in Florida . He allegedly befriended people outside Wal-Mart stores , telling his victims that he worked at the store , and that he could use his employee discount to get them a good deal on a major purchase . Then , police said , he took their cash , walked into the store through one door -- and out another , leaving his victims in the parking lot . One victim found himself out $ 300 while waiting outside for a television . Largo Police say that Torma also called them several times . asking to speak with Det. Brendan Arlington . Each time he called , police say , Torma identified himself as `` Plasma Pat , '' and bragged that he had cheated about 30,000 people who will never file a police report . '' Because the victims feel embarrassed , he feels that nobody is going to report the crime , '' said Lt. Michael Loux . `` And I think he 's probably right . '' Police say they believe that Torma has left the area , and may be
MIAMI , Florida -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- He 's a TV salesman offering an unbelievable deal -- and police say you do n't want to do business with him . Police in Largo , Florida , say `` Plasma Pat '' is really 60-year-old Joseph Wesley Torma . Dubbing himself `` Plasma Pat , the TV Discount Guy , '' he allegedly took cash from Wal-Mart shoppers , promising to use his employee discount to get them a good deal on a TV set , police said . Then , he called the police to taunt them . Police in Largo , Florida , a city near Tampa on the state 's gulf coast , circulated security pictures of `` Plasma Pat , '' and now can put a name to the alliterative nickname . Investigators say their suspect is 60-year-old Joseph Wesley Torma , and they 've just released a mug shot from a recent arrest in Polk County , Florida . `` He made at least two or three phone calls , and he even talked about surrendering , but he never showed up , obviously , '' said Lt. Michael Loux of the Largo Police department .