An arrest warrant was issued for a 23-year-old Florida man who allegedly stole a cardboard cutout of Justin Bieber from a record store, court records show.

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Circuit Court Judge Mark Singer ordered the warrant last week for David Dowling, 23, after he failed to appear for a pretrial conference on allegations he and an underage male accomplice stole the Bieber cutout from an F.Y.E. store at a Bradenton mall, The Smoking Gun reported Monday.

Police said security guards found Dowling and the youngster hiding in the bushes outside of the mall with the pilfered $34.99 cutout of the teenage singer.

"We were just having fun holding Justin Bieber hostage," Dowling allegedly told police officers at the time of his arrest.

Police said Dowling is likely to face a failure to appear charge in addition to the misdemeanor theft count.