Shoplifter sues store over being stopped (store closes)

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

A decade-long meth addict and shoplifter Joshua Merkel is suing for $10,000 for injuries he faced when he was caught and repeatedly hit by the store clerk for shoplifting at a Beaverton area Albertsons. A previous criminal case of assault was charged against the store clerk but failed to convince the jury. Now it is going to a civil case.

Merkel said he was hungry, but he had money in his pocket.

Sometimes stopping a thief can be aggressive. The recent closure of the Portland NE Grocery Outlet revealed that if stores do not intervene on shoplifting, the word spreads among the homeless and addict community like lightning and then the store faces a flood of shoplifters. That outlet store, as said, closed over shoplifting. These criminals are destroying the jobs of the employees. These clerks are not just stopping a crime, but they are trying to stop their livelihood from being dismantled.

Liberal judges, prosecutors and defunding police have caused shoplifting calls to go unanswered. This has turned our grocery stores into the wild west. This is unfair to our grocery stores.

In this case, Merkel had a near full shopping cart.  When caught, he showed resistance.  This creates a dangerous situation.

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