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Sam Penrod ReportingA would be beer thief got more than a case of beer when he was caught and held by a store clerk.
Two men tried running away from an Orem gas station with a case of beer in each hand. But their friend, who was supposed to stop anyone who gave chase, was not as tough as the store clerk.
Beer thefts are a problem for many convenience stores, but one store clerk says his adrenaline got going and before he knew it, he was chasing the beer thieves.
It was after dark last night at the Orem convenience store when two men walked in and then ran out with a case of beer in each hand. One of the store clerks went after them.
Ben, Store Clerk: “My adrenaline took over and I didn’t think of anything else; basically instinct to follow after them.”
But Ben didn't know an accomplice to the thieves was waiting behind the fence. Police say a suspect hit Ben in the ear, hard enough Ben needed stitches. But that's when Ben put him in a headlock as one of the other thieves returned to see what was going on. While holding one of them, Ben fought the other off.
Ben: "So when I was holding him, one of the others noticed he wasn't going to get away. And I tried to grab the other one and I had a hold of one of his legs, but he slipped away and his shoe fell off. They both took off and that's when I kept holding the one that brought me to the ground."
Police arrived a few minutes later and arrested the man on charges of retail theft and assault. They found the cases of beer had been left behind.
Ben says after his adventure, he wouldn't recommend other store clerks do the same thing.
Ben: "I'm grateful nothing else happened, they weren't armed or had a knife anything, that I didn't get seriously injured."
Police are still looking for the other two beer thieves, but detectives know who they are.
