Determined shoplifter commits vandalism at police station

On Sunday, November 26, 2017, at approximately 2:00 p.m. Memphrémagog Police responded to a call concerning shoplifting at the Société des Alcools du Québec located at Galeries Orford on Sherbrooke St. in Magog.

The suspects, two men in their thirties, were caught red-handed by employees, and ran into the parking lot to a vehicle whose description was forwarded to the police.

On the scene, an officer intercepted a man corresponding to the description given and the suspect said he wanted to cooperate, but this was not the case. He put two bottles of alcohol on the ground and fled immediately by disengaging his arm from the officer and starting a chase on foot.

The man continued through the four lanes of Sherbrooke St, ignoring traffic and was even struck by a vehicle traveling at low speed. Two citizens helped the officer identify the suspect who had returned to the Galeries Orford parking lot to finally be arrested. The suspect was not injured by the impact with the vehicle.

The second suspect escaped and has not yet been located. In his case the investigation will continue.

When he was arrested for the SAQ robbery, the first suspect gave a false identity. He was later identified by camera for a robbery on the same day at the shopping centre’s Staples valued at $230.

After obtaining the man’s true identity, police discovered that the 31-yearold Montrealer had three outstanding arrest warrants for similar crimes in Montreal, that he was on probation and had violated parole conditions.

At the police station that evening, the suspect broke an air vent in his cell while trying to escape from the ceiling. Charges for vandalism at the police station were filed Monday in Sherbrooke, along with charges of shoplifting, evading legal custody, obstruction of justice, breach of probation, and breach of conditions.