The Seattle Police Department has released a report on a shoplifting incident at the Harvard QFC on Tuesday night that turned ugly during the busy dinnertime shopping rush. According to the report, a man was arrested for investigation of armed robbery after he and another man fought with a QFC security guard over a tray of cookies and a bottle of wine they were allegedly attempting to shoplift from the store. According to the security guard, the man who stole the cookies threatened him with a knife before fleeing the scene. The guard was able to take the other man — with a bottle of wine in the waistband of his pants — into custody but not before the handcuffed man wiggled until the wine bottle fell and shattered on the pavement and he attempted to bite the security guard two times, the latter attack being successful and drawing blood from the surprised guard, according to the report. The man was booked into King County Jail for investigation of armed robbery. The man with the knife was not apprehended and dropped his tray of cookies at the scene. Full report is below.
On 09/21/2010 I was working uniformed patrol as 2E1. At 1855 Seattle Police radio received a 911 call of store security fighting with a shoplifter at 14 Broadway. Officer Whitlatch arrived on scene, to see store security struggling with a suspect at their security office entrance. Officer Whitlatch was able to gain control of the suspect and take him into custody without incident. Store security, later identified as V/ stated that he observed 2 male suspects take items into their possession, without paying for them. He said the two walked passed all clearly marked points of sale, and began to exit the store through the West exit doors at Harvard Av and E Pike St.
V/ stated that the first WM suspect, who was unidentified and not contacted, placed a $5.49 cookie tray into his back pack and exited the store. The other BM suspect, later identified as S/ placed a $13.99 bottle of wine into the front waist of his pants, concealing the item with his pants and shirt. Once outside, V/ identified himself as store security, and advised the two to return to the store with him. Both suspects refused. As S/ pursued the two, the unidentified WM suspect produced a folding knife. When V/ saw the open and exposed blade, he took a step back from the suspect, who in turn stepped towards him, menacing the blade towards him. V/ stated the suspect made 2 or 3 slashing movements towards him, stating “I will slash you”, and “I will stab you”. V/ retreated backwards, yelling just leave the bag. The suspect dropped the bag containing the $5.49 tray of cookies as he ran across the street fleeing the scene. He was last seen N/B on Broadway from E Pike St. V/ then focused his attention on S/ who was still at the scene. V/ attempted to take S/ into custody, and ended up fighting in the street (Harvard Av) with S/ for what he believes to be 45 seconds to a minute. V/ said he identified himself as store security, and told the suspect several times to stop fighting and to drop the bottle of alcohol he was concealing and attempting to retain. V/ said he was only able to get the suspect into handcuffs with the assistance of an unknown, unidentified passerby who stopped to assist. With S/ in custody, V/ attempted to escort the suspect back to the store security office. As V/ walked S/ back into the store, S/ began “wiggling and shaking his leg” until the glass bottle of alcohol fell out of his pants leg, breaking on the concrete sidewalk. Once inside the store, and while still escorting S/ to the security office, V/ said S/ attempted to run into a shopping cart, and made a motion as if he were going to fall. V/ put his left arm out in front of S/ (right arm was reported as wrapped in a “nelson” hold through the suspect’s cuffs and arms / shoulder). When V/ moved his arm in front of S/ in an attempt to stop him from falling, S/ bit V/ in the left forearm. V/ was wearing clothing that covered the area, protecting his skin from penetration. V/ said he realized what S/ was doing, and jerked his arm back in an attempt to avoid further assault. This is when S/ was able to bite again, making contact with V/ left thumb. S/ said S/ “chomped down on his thumb” drawing blood. V/ treated his wound on scene, and was also screened by SFD who responded. S/ stated while escorting S/ into the security office, he repeatedly said “You camel jockey, you Bangladesh, you rag head, I’ll kill you when I get out”. This is when Officer Whitlatch arrived and gained custody of S/ S/ was taken into custody and booked into KCJ for investigation Robbery. A/SGT W Murray screened the incident and arrest. V/ provided a written statement which was forwarded to the SPD Data center. The total value with tax for the stolen goods in this incident was $20.81.
