Off-duty officer foils shoplift suspects in West Jordan

Unified police are looking for suspects who fled the scene after taking merchandise from a CVS. Photo: Gephardt Daily/Monico Garza/SLCScanner

WEST JORDAN, Utah, June 1, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — A police officer driving home from a part-time job Thursday night was driving past a CVS drugstore when he saw people run out with a basket of merchandise and jump in a car.

Assuming — correctly — that the goods were stolen, the officer followed the car away from the CVS at 7700 South and Redwood Road.

The officer told police what he had seen, and Unified police tried to stop the vehicle in Taylorsville, near 4100 South and 1300 West.

“The driver of the vehicle fled and we were unable to acquire her,” said Lt. Manfred Lassig, Unified Police Department. “We’ve identified who our players are in this and they’ll be pursuing charges through the District Attorney’s Office.”

The car’s owner stayed with the vehicle, and was detained and questioned, then allowed to leave. He has not yet been charged in the case since he was not driving and did not flee. His vehicle was impounded by police.

Lassig said those who fled will be charged for that and for the theft. The severity of the theft charges will be determined by the value of what was taken.

Lassig said he had not seen a list of what was taken, but many packets of over-the-counter pharmaceuticals can cost $10 to $20, and if one grabs 10 to 20 packages at those prices, it turns into a felony pretty fast.

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