"Hey, did ya hear what happened?"

A little while ago I was texted while at home. It was the assistant manager at the store advising me they had a shoplifter and that one of the associates was chasing him. I immediately thanked God I was off that day. Nobody but me is permitted to ch.... follow a shoplifter. Nobody but me is permitted to apprehend a shoplifter, and only I am permitted to accuse a customer of shoplifting, and that is only after I have met the strict criteria of determining a definite shoplifter. So here I am at home, with my feet up watching TV, and I am picturing a guy running across the parking lot being chased by a guy who can't do a damned thing if he catches up to him. I shake my head and continue on with my night in peace.

The next morning I walk into the courtroom for a morning load of hearings. In the lobby I am met by a police officer I have worked with on many previous thefts.

"Hey, did you hear about the incident at your store last night?" he said with a big wide smile standing over me.

I shook my head no in confusion and at the same time I remember the text message, and begin to get concerned. The officer went on to explain how there was a theft and an employee chased him into the next town.

"They what?!" I couldnt believe I was hearing this from a police officer.

"Yeah he said they were going almost 100 mph out the highway..."

Am I awake? Someone pinch me! Did an employee, who is not permitted to leave the store, step off the curb, or approach a suspected shoplifter, jump into his car and pursue one for miles? And this is a police officer telling me!

He leaves the conversation with, "Yeah i'll be over later to talk to you about it."

When I finished court I drove to the store hoping this employee was working. He was. Unfortunately he is a guy who words and reprimands go in one ear and out the other with no understanding in between. When I tried to list the number of policy violations he committed all at one time he was just shocked. He only wanted accolades, and nothing else. Well, he needed to look somewhere else for that.

When we were finished it was clear that he doesn't leave the store, he doesn't step off the curb, and he does nothing with a shoplifter unless I am there asking him to help me.

Now with that handled, the police officer eventually shows up. Seems our Starsky and Hutch employee provided just enough information to the police that night, for them to track down the bandit at his home. With that, and my review of the video of the store, the end result was a Retail Theft arrest for a $14.00 cooler. Added to that arrest will be driving without a license, driving while suspended, etc etc. And, not surprisingly, it wasn't his first arrest. This would be close to his tenth arrest and was dumped right into the jail that night.

So...as much as I wanted to stay away from this, I was then drug into this case simply by viewing the video. I made a copy of the video of a guy entering the store, and seven minutes later, leaving the store holding the cooler up over his head so he didn't trip the sensors at the door. Any guesses what caught the eye of the employee at the service desk?

This week was the hearing for this young man. During the pre-testimony conference with the Asst. District Attorney, it was determined we would not need the employee involved in the high speed pursuit, and would just use me and the service desk girl. I was pleased with that decision. I didn't want it broadcasted that we engage in high speed pursuits for a $14.00 theft...especially in front of other officers and the judge.

Once in the courtroom, the defendant shuffled in wearing handcuffs and ankle shackles. The employee there to testify for the first time in her life, almost landed on my lap when she saw him led in like that.

"Is that because he might freak out and attack somebody and run!" she said grabbing my arm with a death grip.

"No. He has been in jail ever since the night you saw him. Thats just how prisoners are transported from the prison....you're fine relax. He's a cooler thief, not a murderer."

The hearing was fairly uneventful, with the exception of the defendant suprised to hear that our store has a camera system. He was pleading guilty and challenged the prosecutor to "show me the video." According to his own Public Defender, he insisted he wasn't anywhere near our store that night, and won't change his story until he sees the video for himself. When I was testifying, the Public Defender got right to the point.

"Do you have a video of that night?" (Yes)
"Did you preserve this video somehow?" (Yes)
"What kind of tape is it? VHS?" (DVD)
"And at some point did you turn this DVD over to the Police Department as evidence?" (Yes)
"So the Police Department would have custody of this DVD now?" (No)
"I don't understand, you did give them the DVD?"

I finally gave in...

"They do not have custody of the DVD at this time, I do. The officer handed it to me this morning in court. It's right here in my folder."

"No further questions your honor."

The hearing came and went as do most of my hearings for retail theft, with the accused being held for trial and led off back to prison. If he believes that I had a video in my folder, maybe he will end up changing his plea and hope for a reduced charge. Who knows.

As for the employee who completed her maiden voyage in the witness stand...she wants to change her name and address and enter the witness protection program.