Some Good News

xchefmike
Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:57:17 +0000

Midshipman 2nd Class Ian McMenamin was browsing some new shades in the Sole Mio eye wear store at Westfield Annapolis mall on Jan. 12 when a man apparently settled on a $210 pair of Versace sunglasses and walked out of the store without paying, according to the county police report.
And Midshipman McMenamin, 20, of New York, didn’t hesitate a moment when the shop clerk called upon him to help snare the suspected thief.

As soon as Michael Hugog, the clerk, noticed the theft he quickly asked Midshipman McMenamin to follow the man so he could lock up the store and alert security, said Deborah Goode, a Naval Academy spokesman.

Midshipman McMenamin, who was not in uniform, said he left the store and stayed behind the shoplifter. He followed the man to the bathroom and then to the Lucky Brand Jeans Co. store near Neiman Marcus.

The store clerk and a security officer met up with Mr. McMenamin as the apparent shoplifter left the denim store. That’s when he noticed he was being followed and started moving faster.

The guard yelled for the man to stop, but he quickened his pace and soon he was running toward the mall exit, Mr. McMenamin said.

The mid, store clerk, and security guard all took off running after the man. Mr. Hugog tackled the man as he was pushing open the door, next to California Pizza Kitchen, the midshipman said.

The suspected shoplifter still managed to get away, and ran out of the mall - taking a right once he was outside and running through the parking lot toward the red parking garage, Mr. McMenamin said. The mid - wearing flip-flop sandals - kept after the man and chased him about 200 yards across the lot.

The man’s speed decreased as his pants, which were yanked on during the doorway tackle, started falling down, the midshipman said.

A second security guard came from another angle and cut the shoplifter off. He then had nowhere to go and was apprehended.

The man told county police he did not steal any sunglasses and only ran because “he thought he was being robbed,” according to the police report. Mr. Hugog told police he had a surveillance video in the store that showed the man putting sunglasses into his right pants pocket.

Police watched the video and then issued Ricky Laman Ralston, 23, of Bowie, a criminal citation for theft under $500. Mr. Ralston was also banned from Westfield Annapolis mall for one year, police said.

Jamie Sandman, a manager at Sole Mio, said the sunglasses were returned to the store in good condition.

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