Suspect Bought clothes but tried to steal tools
SALINAS—Loss Prevention employees for Sears Department Store arrested 28-year-old Carl Lemos of Carmel after he walked out of the store with a backpack filled with several trays of sockets.
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when store employees from Sears Department Store in the Northridge Mall noticed a customer acting suspiciously while in the store. Witnesses saw him select several socket trays from the Tool Department and place them in a backpack. The value of those trays is unknown at this time.
He then proceeded to the Outdoor Lighting Department and set the backpack near the exit door. Lemos then selected several items of work clothes and went to register and paid for the items. He then proceeded to the exit through the Outdoor Lighting Department and picked up the backpack and left the store. Once he was out of the store, the Loss Prevention employees contacted him.
Lemos tried his shoplifting scheme at the Sears in Salinas.
They attempted to arrest him on shoplifting charges but Lemos resisted and began fighting with the Loss Prevention employee. During the fight, Lemos pulled out a pocketknife and attempt to stab the employee. The Loss Prevention employee was able to knock the knife out of Lemos’ hand. The employee was able to effectively place Lemos under arrest. The Salinas Police Department was called and took Lemos into custody. He was booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of robbery.
“We are unsure of the value of the sockets, but it was just the socket and not the wrenches.” Salinas Police Commander Henry Gomez said, “Both Loss Prevention Officers from the Store were unharmed during the arrest”
The Salinas Police Department is still actively investigating this incident and asking anyone who witnessed or has more information about the incident to call the Salinas Police Department at 1-831-758-7226