Shoplifter sprays two people who tried to stop theft in Ontario town

Two people who tried to stop a shoplifter from escaping with a shopping cart full of goods at a retail store in a small Ontario town near Pembroke were sprayed with an irritant — possibly pepper spray — for their trouble.

Ontario Provincial Police said charges are pending against a suspect in the wake of the Sunday night incident that took place just before 10 p.m. in Laurentian Valley Township, located near Pembroke about 150 kilometres northwest of Ottawa.

In a news release issued by Upper Ottawa Valley OPP, police said they responded to a shoplifting incident in progress at a retail store at about 9:45 p.m.

“Investigation found that an individual left the store with a shopping cart full of unpaid items. Private citizens confronted the individual and both citizens were sprayed with an irritant,” police said.

The culprit fled the scene on foot and the two victims were taken to hospital with minor injuries, police added.

Police weren’t able to locate a suspect in the immediate aftermath of the incident, but said they now have a person of interest in the case and charges are pending.

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Police remind members of the public “not to engage or intervene when there is a crime in progress. Citizens are asked to keep a safe distance from the situation and call 911 immediately.”