A 40-year-old Guelph man was arrested Tuesday morning in relation to a report of shoplifting and threatening to pepper spray a store employee on July 10.
The initial incident happened at a store near the intersection of Eramosa Road and Stevenson Street North, police explain in a news release. A store employee reportedly observed a man put food items in his backpack at about 12:40 p.m.
The employee confronted the suspect a few minutes later and instructed him to remove the items from his bag. In turn, the male reportedly threatened to pepper spray the employee. He then reached his hand into his pocket and pulled his hand out in a quick motion toward the worker, who ducked and turned away.
The man fled with the stolen items. No pepper spray was dispersed.
On Tuesday morning, police spotted the suspect near the intersection of Dawson Road and Woodlawn Road West and was arrested.
A Guelph man is charged with theft under $5,000, utter threats to cause bodily harm and breach of probation.
