Eureka Police arrested a 25-year-old St. Louis man wanted by the Department of Corrections for violating his parole after he allegedly tried to steal merchandise from the Walmart store and tussled with store employees, police reported.
Officers were called at about 11:55 a.m. Sept. 19 to the store at 131 Eureka Towne Center Drive because of a fight in progress. When officers arrived, they were told a suspected shoplifter was being held in the loss prevention office after he got into a physical altercation with employees, the report said.
The man reportedly was seen at about 11:10 a.m. with a skateboard, a gray Ozark Trail backpack and other items in a shopping cart. An employee allegedly saw the man stuffing the items into the backpack and peeling the plastic casing off the skateboard, according to the report.
One of the store’s loss prevention employees, a 22-year-old Eureka man, stopped the suspect as he walked toward a back exit of the business. At the exit, the suspect to pull away from the employee, who had grabbed the cart to stop him, and then the suspect allegedly lunged at the employee, knocking him back into the store, Eureka Police reported.
The employee then allegedly tackled the suspect outside the store, and another employee, a 20-year-old Eureka woman, held down the suspect, the report said.
The suspect, who previously had been arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Walmart stores, allegedly was trying to steal a skateboard, a purse, boxer briefs and two storage containers at the Eureka store. The items were valued at $83.74, according to the report.
The man was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was booked and then transported to St. Louis Jail for the Department of Corrections, the report said.
Eureka Police issued him summonses to appear in Eureka Municipal Court for alleged shoplifting, trespassing and third-degree assault, Lt. Michael Werges said.