Shoplifting suspect forces way out of Michaels store by forcing through locked doors on Broad Street

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A shoplifting incident at Michaels on Broad Street ended with a 23-year-old suspect fleeing with merchandise and causing $500 worth of damage to the store’s entrance way.

At about 7 p.m. on Feb. 2, a 23-year-old man whose name has not yet been released was seen hiding an unknown number of items under his jacket and attempting to leave the store, according to a Sumter Police Department incident report.

Employees locked the sliding doors and confronted the suspect, and he became agitated. The suspect made several attempts to force his way out until he successfully body slammed his way through the doors, causing $500 worth of damage to the door and its lock. The suspect then fled by foot prior to the police department’s arrival.

A video posted onto a Facebook group that talks about the Sumter community tells that storyline, showing the suspect forcing his way out the front doors of the store after an employee was seen trying to keep the doors locked.

Officers searched the area and were unable to locate the suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at (803) 436-2700.