Shoplifting at Macy's, Target, Walmart

 recently responded to several reports of shoplifting from city businesses:

• A loss prevention agent called police at 2:50 Nov. 25 to report he watched via video camera a male shopper select a fragrance gift set and four clothing items with a combined value of $277, then conceal the items in a bag. The Akron man, 35, was detained as he left through the store’s west doors. The man admitted to police he stole the five items by hiding them in a bag he brought with him. He was arrested, processed in a police car and released with a summons to appear in court on charge of theft, a misdemeanor.

• A loss prevent agent at who received information about a man suspected of shoplifting cell phones from other Target stores called police at 6:50 p.m. Nov. 25 after seeing the man enter his store. The agent said he watched as the man, 41, of Chardon, selected a Boost Mobile cell phone valued at $229, cut the security sensor off the packaging, conceal it under his jacket and leave the store. He provided the man’s vehicle description and direction of travel to police, who stopped the car on West Market Street at South Miller Road. The man admitted to the theft and the phone was recovered from under the passenger seat, where the man had been sitting. The driver, a woman, gave police consent to search the vehicle and another Boost Mobile cell phone was found in the trunk with its security sensor cut off. The woman denied ownership of the phone, which was placed into evidence by police.  The man was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge of theft.

• Two Akron women, ages 19 and 20, were arrested at 4:38 p.m. Nov. 28 after a loss prevention agent reported them to police as shoplifters. The agent said she watched the women enter the fitting rooms with a number of items. After they left the store via doors into Summit Mall, it was discovered that some of the merchandise they had taken into the fitting rooms was missing. A Fairlawn officer found the women inside a mall store and escorted them back to Macy’s. The women admitted to the theft of five items with a combined value of $98. They were arrested, processed at the Macy’s security office and released with summons to appear in court on misdemeanor theft charges.

• A loss prevention agent called police at 6:09 p.m. Nov. 26 to report he had a shoplifter in custody. The agent said he observed the man selecting merchandise and concealing items in his pocket. The man went into the restroom, where he cut open a package of razors. He then left the store without paying for five items with a combined value of $44. During a search before arresting the man, a Fairlawn officer found a folding knife in the man’s pants pocket. The knife was tagged and placed into evidence. The man was processed at the store and issued a summons to appear in court on charges of theft and possessing criminal tools, both misdemeanors.