An employee at a Walgreens faces criminal charges after taking the law into his own hands. The employee reportedly followed a shoplifter as he exited onto the street and stabbed him in the eye over stolen goods.
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The grisly incident occurred on Wednesday morning outside a Walgreens in San Francisco, per the New York Post. Police identified the shop employee as Guang Hong, 45. The alleged shoplifter is Larry Whitlock, 30.
A street camera across the road pointed at the Walgreens store at the time and caught the entire altercation. The alleged shoplifter appears to be forced out of the shop and walks into the road with a bag in each hand. Two people from the store, presumably a security guard and an employee, follow him. The employee appears to jump on his back and lands a couple of punches before returning to the shop.
Strangely, the alleged shoplifter wanders back to the sidewalk near the shop a few moments later. The camera didn't record any sound, but it looked like the shoplifter was shouting at the security guard. The employee finally strolls toward the suspect and appears to threaten him with an object, presumably a knife. He strikes the man in the head and kicks him to the floor while the suspect clutches his face before returning to the shop.
Police Arrested The Alleged Shoplifter And Walgreens Employee
According to a report by the San Francisco Standard, officers patrolling the area responded to the incident at around 4:35 AM. Police arrested both Hong and Whitlock. Hong was booked into jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and remains in custody. Emergency Services transported Whitlock to the hospital. Police are charging him with battery and petty theft.
The New York Post also points out a recent change in the law. Shoplifting used to be classed as a 'misdemeanor' if the stolen goods were worth less than $950. The outlet explains that this has led to a rise in similar crimes as security staff and employees were powerless to stop it. In December, 2024, Proposition 36 was voted in, increasing the punishment for 'certain theft or drug' related crimes.
