A Bronx supermarket employee was grabbed by the neck and threatened with a knife while attempting to stop a shoplifter from fleeing a grocery store last week.
The suspect was seen on video stuffing items into a jacket pocket inside Pioneer Supermarket, located at 107 Featherbed Lane, at around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26, according to police.
Moments later the suspect then attempts to leave the store, with a 52-year-old male employee trying to stop the theft.
The suspect allegedly grabbed the employee by the neck, while holding a knife in the right hand. The suspect then fled the store running eastbound on Featherbed Lane, police said. The alleged perpetrator stole eggs and cooking oil.
Video footage of the incident was released by the Collective Action to Protect our Stores, a group that represents thousands of small businesses from around New York City and New York State and was formed to address retail theft.
“Enough is enough, attacks like this happen far too often to retail workers across New York City and it’s workers and consumers who suffer,” the coalition said in a statement. “Albany has a little more than one month to go in this session, and they absolutely need to prioritize the pieces of legislation that have been introduced, which would take on retail theft, protect workers and help consumers shop in peace.”
The legislative session ends in late June.
