A man in Jamestown, New York, is facing several felony charges after he shoplifted from a local grocery store. However, that’s not all. He then led police on a chase that spanned several municipalities while also under the influence.
The Jamestown Police Department had responded to a shoplifting incident at a Tops grocery store on Washington Street at 10:16 on May 24. Staff told officers that several items had been stolen before the suspect fled on foot.
Despite leaving the scene on foot, the suspect had arrived at the store in a car that was still in the parking lot. Taking advantage of the situation, officers decided to stay behind and see if the suspect would return to retrieve his car.
About two hours later, Jamestown police watched as the suspect got in the car and fled the scene. Shortly thereafter, officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, which kicked off the pursuit that stretched over several miles.
Elderly Man Under the Influence of Drugs After Shoplifting Incident
After driving through Hamestown and into the Town of Ellicott, the chase finally came to an end in Kiantone. Once the suspect was in custody, he was identified as 61-year-old Michael Lockerbie of Jamestown.
To be sure, he was also confirmed to be the same suspect from the Tops shoplifting incident earlier. Lockerbie stayed in the area after the theft to try to elude officers before returning to his car to try to leave without getting caught.
It was also revealed that he was under the influence of drugs while trying to flee from officers. As a result, he now faces a litany of charges for offenses that carry heavy sentences.
Several Charges Were Filed
As a result of the incident, Lockerbie faces various charges, which include petit larceny, two counts of first-degree felony reckless endangerment, first-degree felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, and driving while impaired by drugs. There were also traffic tickets issued in connection with the incident.
He was then transported to the Jamestown City Hall, where he is in custody pending arraignment. It is not clear exactly what items were stolen from the store or the circumstances surrounding the pursuit.
If convicted of these charges, he faces up to 13 years in prison and over $5,000 in fines. As with all criminal cases, the suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Reactions to Multi-County New York Chase
In the comments section of the video above, various users expressed their opinions about the situation. Some poked fun at why Lockerbie would have wanted to rob a grocery store in the first place, with one person writing, “With price of groceries probably couldn’t afford to pay.”
Others were more focused on the reality of why he was likely stealing, saying, “The sad thing is everyone has to Eat!!!” Another person wrote, “Maybe he was hungry.”
Another group of commenters also agreed with this, though they expressed their opinions a little more dlearly, with one person writing, “Yo I’m not mad at anybody stealing food outta hungry and I mean like what ever your 2 hands can hold.”