JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
- A man shared a video of himself appearing to steal a COVID-19 vaccine from a CVS pharmacy.
- He was arrested and charged with obstructing an investigation, Newsweek reported.
- Instagram videos of the man, identified as Thomas Humphrey, reveal that he is vehemently opposed to vaccines.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
A Minnesota man filmed and shared a video of himself that appears to show him stealing a vial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine from a CVS pharmacy, Newsweek reported.
In the video, the man – identified by Newsweek as Thomas Humphrey – records himself saying that he will take the vial to "to the lab" to investigate.
-PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) May 7, 2021
He later proceeds to claim that the vaccine is "poisoning people" and implies that this was not his first time running off with a dose of the lifesaving jab.
In Instagram posts seen by Insider, Humphrey reveals himself to be strongly opposed to vaccinations.
Read more: To fight vaccine hesitancy, make access really, really convenient
At the start of the clip, which has been widely shared on social media, Humphrey asks a CVS employee to allow him to read the information on the vial. He can then be seen removing the vial from its box and walking towards the store's exit. "Sir, sir," the alarmed pharmacy worker says.
"I will be taking my vaccine," Humphrey responds. "We're going to go test this, we're gonna bring it to the lab, we're gonna investigate," he adds.
Humphrey then offers to trade his mask for the vial of vaccine and urges employees not to touch him.
"This is poisoning people," Humphrey continues. COVID-19 vaccines are, in fact, safe and effective.
After escaping from the pharmacy, the man records himself celebrating his successful theft. "They didn't even lock the doors on me," he says.
He then suggests that this was not his first attempt at stealing a vaccine dose. "I got it again, guys," adding, "Praise the Lord, I've got a full vial this time."
The video ends with Humphrey entering his car and acknowledging that the CVS employees would "definitely" call the cops. He was correct.
Humphrey was arrested, booked, and later released from the Anoka County Sheriff's office with a charge of obstructing an investigation on Thursday, Newsweek reported.
Posts from Humphrey's Instagram profile reveal that he is not apologetic. "I didn't do anything wrong, guys," he can be heard saying in a 23-minute-long video.
In the same video, he goes on to explain why he is vehemently opposed to COVID-19 vaccines. "My mom just died two weeks after taking it," he says. "My friend has ovarian troubles now and people are ... organ failure," Humphrey adds.
The anti-vaxxer then proceeds to compare taking the coronavirus vaccine to "choosing to subconsciously commit suicide" and says that he knows "the cure for every disease."
Another Instagram post, shared on Friday, includes an image of what could be the stolen vial.
"We bout to find out what's in these vaccines," Humphrey wrote. "Just overnighted these them to an MD who has his own diagnostic laboratory. He will be taking a few samples out of each vile and sending it off to his friends for them to sample it as well."