An alleged shoplifter attacked a worker at a Duane Reade on Friday in New York City after he was caught stealing products from a freezer and placing them in his bag.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson told Newsweek on Sunday that the man punched a 21-year-old store worker in the face after she confronted him and asked him to put back the items he grabbed.
“The individual proceeded to strike the victim in the face with a closed fist before grabbing her hair and throwing her to the ground,” the spokesperson said.
The worker didn’t suffer serious injuries from the attack, and no arrests have been made as of Sunday afternoon.
The police described the suspect as a 40-year-old man who weighed around 200 pounds and wore a red jacket, blue jeans, and red boots.
The NYPD posted a picture of the suspect on Twitter on Saturday and offered a reward of up to $3,500 to anyone who would provide information that would help identify the individual.
New York City saw another shoplifting incident at a Rite Aid pharmacy on the Upper East Side last month when a man was caught on video walking out of the drugstore with bags filled with products.
The clip was caught by actor Michael Rapaport, who shared the footage on TikTok and said, “I can’t believe I’m seeing this. This guy just filled his two bags up with everything in Rite Aid, right here on 80th [Street] and 1st Avenue.”
Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
“He was walking down the street like s*** is Gucci,” Rapaport added. “He looked me in my face like ‘what’s good.’ I was watching him the whole time! My man just went Christmas shopping in January. He got the condoms, the shampoo.”
Similarly, an alleged shoplifter was stealing items from a Walmart store in Canada before he was stopped by an elderly woman who ripped off his balaclava. The move prompted the man to ditch the shopping cart and leave the store on a bicycle.
In January, federal and state prosecutors charged 29 individuals in a shoplifting ring that happened across six states. The suspects who participated in the retail theft ring were based out of northeastern Oklahoma, the justice department revealed.