The Villager Newspaper Online Your Community News – Cleveland's Westshore
A North Olmsted Shoplifter’s story offers a great message on how to ruin your life with one trip to Home Depot.
You might call it a case of “‘Paying It Foward’ Gone Wrong!
Here’s the storyline:
On 09/15/14 at approximately 1612 hours, two North Olmsted Police Officers were dispatched to Home Depot, 26241 Brookpark Rd., in reference to a male shoplifter in custody.
Upon arrival, they met with the complainant, Home Depot Loss Prevention Officer Jon Cook, who reported the following:
On 09/15/2014 at approximately 1545 hours, Cook observed a white male, later identified upon arrest, park his Saturn in the lot outside the lumber department and enter Home Depot. Cook observed the suspect proceed directly to the paint department where he selected two paint brushes valued at $14.97 each. The suspect was observed removing the security label from the paintbrushes and concealing them in his sweatshirt. He then proceeded to the hardware/tool department where he was observed selecting several drill bit sets and concealed same on his person. The suspect proceeded to the front of Home Depot, bypassed all points of sale, and exited the store through the contractor entrance/exit, failing to pay for any of the concealed merchandise on his person. At that point, Loss Prevention Officer Cook approached the suspect and identified himself as Home Depot Loss Prevention.
LP Cook escorted the suspect back to the LP Office where Cook recovered the two paint brushes from the man’s sweatshirt and three drill bit sets valued at $19.97, $5.97, and $14.97. from his pants pockets.
Total amount of the stolen recovered merchandise was $70.85.
The recovered merchandise was held by Home Depot as evidence.
The suspect was advised of Miranda. He stated that he understood. An officer asked the suspect if everything LP Cook had stated to about this theft offense was true to the best of his knowledge. The suspect stated yes.
The officer asked the man why he was stealing those items. The man stated that he had an employee who was involved with drugs and had stolen from him. He further stated he did not pursue charges against the male, but terminated his employment with the company.
The suspect stated he was just trying to recoup some of the items that his employee had stolen from him. You might call it a case of Paying it Forward Gone Wrong.
The suspect was handcuffed, searched, and escorted out of Home Depot. He was placed in the rear of 5210 by Ptlm. Mikla and transported to NOPD Jail. He was charged with Petty Theft, ORC 2913.02(A)(l) / M1. He was later released on signature bond to appear in RRMC on 09/3012014 at 0900 hours.
Case closed by arrest.
