A man tucked his son under his arm like a football when he ran out of a Walmart store where he was suspected of shoplifting, investigators said.

Harris County sheriff's deputies said Matthew Wolski, 22, took his 3-year-old son to the Walmart in the 1300 block of Fry Road on Jan. 16, but he had no intention of paying for the items he selected.

"They saw him take some automotive items," Deputy Robert McElvany said.

McElvany was called out to the store and said several loss-prevention employees stopped Wolski as he tried to wheel his son and the goods into the parking lot.

As the employees were escorting Wolski to a back office, Wolski made a bold move.

"He takes his child and tucks the kid underneath his arm like a football," McElvany said. "Then he runs at the other two (loss-prevention employees) and knocks them down. (Wolski) flings this child in the back seat of the car, no car seat or anything like that, not even trying to put a seatbelt on him."

McElvany said he responded to a home invasion the next day and saw that the victim had a familiar face.

"I knew right away who he was," McElvany said. "One I saw the car was pretty distinctive."

That was enough to get a warrant for Wolski's arrest, but he's not in custody -- yet. Deputies said he would be arrested soon.

Wolski has several pending criminal cases. He was arrested in July 2011 and charged with aggravated assault of a public servant. Investigators said he was accused of trying to hit a deputy during an incident at a Walmart store on Kuykendahl. His criminal record includes convictions for indecent exposure, receiving stolen property and drug possession.