NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Detectives are searching for a thief who they said used pepper spray on a store clerk in North Miami Beach over two weeks ago.
According to an incident report from the North Miami Beach Police Department, officers responded to Walgreens, located at 791 NE 167th St., just after 2:30 p.m. on Jan 11, regarding an assault.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the store manager who told them a woman grabbed a bottle of Don Julio tequila and ran out of the store without paying.
The manager stated that about an hour later, that same woman returned to the store because she believed to have dropped her phone inside the store as she ran out, the report stated.
Police said they were able to watch video surveillance of the incident which showed the woman speaking to the manager who denied having possession of the phone.
Additional surveillance video shows the woman walking toward the entrance of the store, at which time she took out a pepper spray bottle from her right pocket and sprayed the clerk while she was cashing out a customer.
Police said a man and his 5-year-old boy were near the register purchasing items when the incident occurred.
Authorities said the pepper spray made contact with the child’s face during the incident.
The store’s surveillance video was not able to capture the license plate of the vehicle the culprit was driving; however, police identified the vehicle as a gray Nissan Altima.
Surveillance video revealed the culprit was last seen exiting near the south side of the parking lot to head westbound on Northeast 167th Street.
Police said the man and his child were fine and left before first responders arrived at the scene.
A store employee who asked to remain anonymous told Local 10 News Friday that she saw the entire incident unfold.
“She was like, I’m coming back for you-- I’ve got something for your efforts,” she said.
Walgreens shoppers told Local 10 News that the store has had previous issues with crime.
One man said he was at the store when he saw a group of thieves go barreling towards the cosmetic aisle, grabbing items, and then left in a van that was waiting outside for them.
The store manager told police that he had the culprit’s phone and gave it to the North Miami Beach Police Department for evidence.
Authorities are asking anyone who has information on the culprit’s whereabouts to contact the North Miami Beach Police Department at 305-949-5500.