Youngstown man arrested, accused of stealing $2,000 in power tools from Austintown Home Depot
A Youngstown man attempted to steal a box of power tools totaling $2,091 in value at 11 a.m. on Monday from Home Depot in Austintown.
According to Austintown Township Police reports, William Martin, 41, attempted to flee the store but was taken into custody by officers.
Witnesses said the suspect hid store products in a mop box
Witnesses told police Martin selected a box containing a mop and bucket, which he opened and placed on the ground in the aisle he found it.
Then Martin was seen collecting 15 tools from the Milwaukee power tools section. He placed “hedge trimmers, pruning saw and several fuel batteries” inside the tall empty mop box. Then Martin put the box on a lumber buggy and asked a store associate to point out which aisle the tape was stocked.
Martin took the tape, resealed the mop box, now filled with over $2,000 worth of merchandise, and rolled the buggy to the cash register.
Reports say he was seen “struggling to take the heavy box off the cart” and placed it onto the counter, where the employee scanned the mop box for $30.
After paying cash, Martin attempted to leave the store but was stopped by Officer Jason Pierce.
Report: Suspect tried to escape
When the officer asked what was in the box, Martin replied, “I ain’t out the doors yet!” Reports say he took off running.
As more officers arrived to help with the reported shoplifting, Det. Sgt. Greg McGlynn observed the suspect and approached him. McGlynn said that the suspect immediately ran into the wooded area behind Home Depot.
Several Officers surrounded the area and used a police drone to track the suspect.
After a few minutes, other Austintown police officers observed the suspect coming through the opposite thick wooded-creek area.
Martin was taken into custody and charged with theft, obstructing official business, and possessing criminal tools.
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