Prank thefts of David Hasselhoff cardboard cutouts at Cumberland Farms convenience stores in New England took a dark turn Tuesday when a store clerk was critically injured during one of the alleged incidents.

The signs, advertising an iced coffee held by the 'Hoff and called an "Iced Hoffee," have been disappearing from Cumberland Farms stores throughout the Northeast. More than 500 have been stolen in recent months, according to The Associated Press.

A worker at a Shelton, Conn., Cumberland Farms saw an SUV pull into the parking lot of his store around 1 a.m. Tuesday and watched a man climb out and proceed to cut the image of Hasselhoff off two signs. He then put the Hasselhoffs into the SUV, according to Shelton police.

The worker then chased the SUV but the driver took off, dragging the 36-year-old employee and then spinning and flipping him onto the ground, where he landed on his head, Shelton police said in a statement.

The victim told police he saw a man driving the SUV and a woman and man riding as passengers.

Police said today that a 19-year-old man came forward to authorities admitting his involvement in the incident and is cooperating.

They have not pressed charges or made any arrests and have not released the suspect's identity.

The victim is in critical condition at Bridgeport Hospital.

(Image Credit: Jacob Marcinek/Flickr Vision/Getty Images)