Customer Snaps Photo of Odd Suspect in Bainbridge Township

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A customer took a photo of a man spilling merchandise out of his coat into his car in a shopping lot parking lot in Bainbridge Township, Ohio. The witness shared the photo with a store employee, who identified the man as one of two suspects accused of shoplifting $200 worth of items from the Going, Going, Gone outlet store. Police arrested the two men, a 38-year-old Cleveland man and a 37-year-old Columbus man, and charged them with theft.

Why it matters

Retail theft is an ongoing issue that businesses and law enforcement work to address, with customers sometimes playing a role in helping identify suspects. This incident highlights how alert witnesses can provide valuable information to aid investigations.

The details

On January 29th, a customer witnessed a man spilling merchandise out of the front of his coat and into his car in the shopping lot parking lot. The customer took a photo and shared it with a store employee, who identified the man as one of two suspects accused of shoplifting 15 items valued at $200 from the Going, Going, Gone outlet store. Police arrived at the scene and found the two suspects, a 38-year-old Cleveland man and a 37-year-old Columbus man. The Columbus man had an active warrant from Richmond Heights and was found with two suspicious iPhones and $2,200 in cash, which were confiscated. The Cleveland man was on parole for a prior offense. Both men were arrested and charged with theft.

• On January 29th, a customer witnessed the incident in the shopping lot parking lot.
• At 5 p.m. on January 29th, a Target employee reported a theft in progress involving the two men.