A 26-year-old Cobourg man is in custody after loss prevention officers at a Whitby Home Depot outlet reported that a man they detained on suspicion of shoplifting pulled a knife on them.
At 2:12 p.m. on Feb. 16, Durham Regional Police said a man was leaving a Home Depot store on Victoria Street in Whitby allegedly with “an item he did not purchase.”
A loss prevention officer stopped a suspect outside the store and placed him under arrest. While waiting for police to arrive, the suspect allegedly pulled a knife and escaped the custody of two loss prevention officers, fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
A short time later, officers spotted a vehicle at Stevenson Road and Highway 401. They pulled the vehicle over and found a man and a woman inside.
Police say they are now investigating stolen goods from a total of four stores in the area allegedly found inside the vehicle.
A suspect identified by police as Jerid Whittaker was arrested and charged with offences including with four counts of theft under $5,000, four counts of possession of stolen property, two counts of assault with a weapon and escaping lawful custody.
He was held in custody pending a bail hearing.
A second occupant of the vehicle, a 62-year-old Cobourg woman, was charged with one count of possession of stolen property. She was released on a promise to appear.
