Shoplifter pulls gun on Belk security agent
ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. October 28 2018
A store security officer was attacked and held at gunpoint around 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the Belk at Towne Mall in Elizabethtown.
Police say a couple attracted the attention of the store’s security officer, who had observed them shoving items into an empty bag.
“He asked them to stop and return the merchandise and that’s when things got ugly,” Officer John Thomas, with the Elizabethtown Police Department, told WLKY.
Police say Joey Smith, 39, became physical with the officer and even tried biting him. When the officer tried restraining her, Smith’s boyfriend, Michael Moody, 36, got involved.
“Mr. Moody drew a handgun, chambered a round and pointed it directly at the loss prevention officer, and in so many words said, ‘If you don’t let us go, I’m going to kill you,'” Thomas said.
Police say that loss prevention officer did exactly as he was trained to do and backed off. Then, the couple left the store. Several customers who had been inside actually followed them out to the parking lot, took down their license plate number and called police.
The couple was arrested on Highway 31 West, just in front of the mall. The two were taken into custody without incident, and the stolen property was recovered.
“This was over clothing. We recovered over $500 worth of clothing after the traffic stop, but it was just clothing,” Thomas said.
Both Smith and Moody have been charged with robbery. Moody was also charged with possession of a handgun by a convicted felon.
WLKY