Store employee arrested following assault of alleged shoplifter: WPS

‘People can’t take matters into their own hands’ Danton Unger reports on the Winnipeg store employee facing charges after attacking a shoplifter with a weapon.

A shop employee in Winnipeg is facing charges after police allege he attacked a shoplifter with a weapon.

Winnipeg police said this happened Saturday evening in the 600 block of William Avenue near Furby Street. Officers patrolling in the area around 8 p.m. came across two men fighting each other – one armed with a large weapon, the other suffering from serious injuries.

Const. Pat Saydak, a public information officer with the Winnipeg police, said the altercation started when the victim – a 41-year-old man – walked into the store and allegedly began shoplifting.

“He proceeded to steal merchandise. He was confronted by a staff member who had armed themselves with a large-edged weapon and an altercation occurred just outside,” Saydak said.

He said the employee used the weapon to hit the victim several times, before police intervened and arrested him.

Officers gave emergency medical care to the victim. He was taken to hospital in unstable condition, but has since been upgraded to stable condition.

A 28-year-old man from Winnipeg is facing assault and weapons charges. The charges against him have not been tested in court. Police said he was released on an undertaking as mandated by the Criminal Code.

“We’re cognizant of commercial business and the fact that there is theft going on within businesses, but we have to remember that people can’t take matters into their own hands,” Saydak said.

“We encourage if somebody sees a criminal activity occurring to call police because that way they can keep themselves safe and the people around them safe.”

Police would not say if the victim in this case would face any charges in relation to theft. When asked, Saydak told CTV News the investigation is ongoing.