Rick Stiebel/Special to the Gazette
A suspected shoplifter bit off more than he could chew in Langford.
The incident started around noon on Thursday at the Western Foods on Goldstream Avenue. A man who has been in the store regularly and is “on the staff’s radar” attempted to leave after taking candy, snacks and a drink into the washroom to conceal them in his bag, said Western Foods employee Randy Leggett.
Leggett and Shaun Heinekey, who works in the store’s meat department, waited until the man was outside before confronting him for the attempted theft.
“We caught him after he took off through the bushes next to Starbucks,” Heinekey said. “He wriggled free and got away.”
Leggett said Langford Mayor Stew Young happened to be driving though the roundabout at that moment. “He asked what was going on and after we explained he said ‘let’s get him.’” Both added they were surprised to be helped by the mayor.
Young said he drove his vehicle up to the curb in front of Frontrunners Westshore, jumped out of his vehicle, grabbed the man, and wrestled his bag away from him.
“I told him I had called the police and to sit down until they got there,” Young said. “They arrived in about 20 seconds.”
Young credited Leggett and Heinekey for their quick action in dealing with the situation.