A bystander and a security officer teamed up to help deputies nab a Lehigh Acres man on shoplifting charges outside a North Naples department store Tuesday, sheriff’s reports said.John McCray, 30, of Lehigh Acres was arrested after deputies say he scuffled with the store security officer in the parking lot outside the Beall’s store at 13585 U.S. 41 N. He was charged with battery on a merchant, resisting a merchant and petty theft.
Arrest reports gave this account:
Andrew Park, a loss prevention officer at the store, told deputies he was watching the parking lot shortly before 7 p.m. when he noticed McCray park in an unusual spot. McCray entered the store accompanied by a woman who was pushing an infant in a stroller.
McCray and the woman went to the shoe department where he picked up two shoe boxes and ducked down twice. McCray replaced the shoe boxes under several other boxes and then left the store with the woman and the infant.
Park checked the boxes that McCray had replaced in the stack and found that they were empty. He caught up to McCray in the parking lot and asked him to stop. McCray refused and Parked grabbed his arm.
McCray started to fight with Park. A bystander, John Daily, 52, saw the struggle. He told deputies that it appeared Park was losing and he was concerned for Park’s safety. He assisted by sitting on McCray until deputies arrived.
