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Lucky Whitehead charged with larceny for shoplifting, failure to appear for skipping court

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Lucky Whitehead was charged with larceny after a shoplifting arrest in Prince William County, Virginia, on June 22 and then failed to appear for a court hearing on July 6, resulting in another charge, according to online records.

Whitehead was charged with shoplifting/petit larceny -- under $200, a misdemeanor, according to Prince William County Police records. He then was charged with failure to appear when he didn't attend his July 6 arraignment, according to Prince William County General Court records.

The Prince William County Police Department said in a statement that Whitehead was arrested at approximately 1:30 a.m. ET after an employee at a Wawa noticed he left the store without paying for some items. Police officers located Whitehead in the parking lot when they arrived on the scene.

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said the team didn't know of the arrest before Monday and is gathering information on the incident. He said it is possible Whitehead could be released.

"We will do what's in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys," Garrett said.

Asked by reporters about the charges, Whitehead said Monday: "I didn't know about that" and "I don't know what's going on."

Whitehead has a court date scheduled for Aug. 10, according to records.

Last season, Whitehead was late to a Saturday walk-through and Garrett told him to not even take the flight for a game against the New York Giants in December. Whitehead also was involved in a car accident last season and Garrett was not aware of it until informed of it by the media. Whitehead briefly posted news of the accident on Snapchat before taking it down.

TMZ Sports was first to report the news of Whitehead's arrest and missed court date.

Whitehead made headlines last week when he announced on social media that his dog Blitz was kidnapped and being held for ransom. He later announced on social media that the dog had been returned unharmed.

Whitehead's arrest is the latest legal trouble this offseason for the Cowboys:

  • Running back Ezekiel Elliott was involved in an incident at a Dallas bar on July 16 that left a man with a nose injury. Dallas police have suspended their investigation because they have not been able to locate the victim and no witnesses have come forward. The running back also is awaiting possible punishment from the NFL stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident last July in Columbus, Ohio.

  • Linebacker Damien Wilson was arrested July 4 on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

  • Rookie cornerback Jourdan Lewis is not with the team, as he was in court for a misdemeanor domestic violence court case.

Whitehead, 25, has played the past two seasons for the Cowboys, appearing in 30 games with two starts. He has rushed 20 times for 189 yards and caught nine passes for 64 yards. He also has been used as a punt and kick returner.

ESPN's Todd Archer contributed to this report.