A reported shoplifting incident Wednesday afternoon at the Walmart Supercenter resulted in a chase after one of the suspects reportedly pushed a store security officer and ran out of the store.
Joe McKnight, 43, was caught by police at the E-Z Mart on South Olive Street, Deputy Prosecutor Maxie Kizer said during a court hearing Friday morning for McKnight and Percy Jackson, 39.
Detective Sam Atkinson said the security officer stopped McKnight after he tried to take several cases of Freon out a store door without paying for them, and Jackson was stopped when he tried to leave the store on the grocery side with a shopping cart containing store bags with clothing items that had not been purchased.
Kizer said both Jackson and McKnight had extensive criminal records, and McKnight has pending charges of robbery and theft of property.
Jefferson County Judge Kim Bridgforth set a $25,000 bond for McKnight after ruling prosecutors had probable cause to charge him with robbery and theft of property and a $25,000 bond for Jackson after ruling prosecutors could charge him with theft of property and criminal trespass.
Bridgforth appointed the Public Defender’s Office to represent both men and told them to come back to court at 9 a.m. June 1.