TEAM EFFORT CAPTURES SHOPLIFTER

Elyria – The capture of a fleeing shoplifter Saturday evening was a team effort between Police, Loss Prevention Officers and neighbors off Chestnut Ridge Road near WalMart.

Loss Prevention Officers (LPO) witnessed a man loading a shopping cart with shirts, underwear, batting gloves and other items. The man drew suspicion by constantly looking around and up at the ceiling at the store cameras. Once the man had loaded his cart he pushed it to a secluded area and pulled out WalMart shopping bags and began packing up the items. He then walked out of the store through the front doors where he was met by two LPO’s who asked him to return to the store with the items. Once back inside the store the man fled with the LPO’s right behind him. The man even threw a baseball bat at the LPO’s in an attempt to slow them down.

The man left the store and ran into the woods behind the store. Police arrived and searched the woods but was unable to find the man.

While talking to the LPO’s neighbors informed Police that the man was behind some homes east of the woods. Police responded to the area and saw the man running behind the homes then across an open field towards Chestnut Ridge Road.

With Officers chasing on foot others were in cars heading to the road to cut the man off. The man had made it to the road but when he saw the Police cars he headed back through the yards right into the Officers who were chasing him on foot.

The man, later identified as 41 year old Stephen Bugg of Elyria, was arrested for Theft and Obstructing Official Business.


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