Middletown police arrested a Perth Amboy man and were looking for his female companion after a botched shoplifting attempt ended up in a struggle with a store security guard.
The incident occurred at the Target store on a Route 35 shortly after 5p Sunday, according to a statement issued by the police department spokesman, Detective Lieutenant Stephen Dollinger.
Here’s the statement:
ON OCTOBER 10, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:09PM THE MIDDLETOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A SHOPLIFTING IN PROGRESS AT THE TARGET DEPARTMENT STORE LOCATED ON HIGHWAY 35 AND PALMER AVENUE IN MIDDLETOWN. UPON ARRIVAL THE OFFICERS OBSERVED A STORE SECURITY OFFICER ENGAGED IN A STRUGGLE WITH ONE OF THE SUSPECTS. PTL. BRIAN MCGROGAN AND PTL. KEITH HIRSCHBEIN ASSISTED THE SECURITY OFFICER PLACE THE SUSPECT, LATER IDENTIFIED AS MICHAEL LUCAS, AGE 41, FROM COURTLAND STREET IN PERTH AMBOY, UNDER ARREST.
STORE SECURITY ADVISED THE OFFICERS THAT LUCAS, AND AN UNIDENTIFIED BLACK FEMALE ENTERED THE STORE. THE FEMALE SUBJECT LOADED UP A SHOPPING CART FULL OF MERCHANDISE AND PLACED IT IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION IN THE STORE. BOTH SUBJECTS THEN EXITED THE STORE. LUCAS RETURNED TO THE STORE A SHORT TIME LATER, RETRIEVED THE CART AND ATTEMPTED TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE STORE BYPASSING THE CHECKOUT AREA.
STORE SECURITY APPROACHED LUCAS AND A STRUGGLE ENSUED. THE FEMALE WAS ABLE TO FLEE THE SCENE BEFORE POLICE ARRIVED. SHE IS IDENTIFIED AS BEING APPROXIMATELY 5’04 AND WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 240 LBS. DURING THE STURGGLE A STORE SECURITY OFFICER SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO HIS HAND WHICH ELEVATED THE SHOPLIFTING CHARGE TO ROBBERY.
LUCAS WAS CHARGED WITH ROBBERY AND CONSPIRACY AND WAS ALSO ARRESTED ON WARRANTS OUT OF MONMOUTH COUNTY COURT AND SOUTH PLAINFIELD COURT. LUCAS WAS BEING HELD ON $100,000.00 BAIL NO 10% SET BY JUDGE MCGANN. PTL. FELIPE BENEDIT, CPL. JOSEPH GLYNN AND THE HOLMDEL POLICE DEPARTMENT ASSISTED IN THE INVESTIGATION.
