A 40-year-old man from India has been arrested in the United States on suspicion of kidnapping and violently assaulting a man suspected of shoplifting at a convenience store in Kentucky. According to the New York Post, suspect Kaushalkumar Patel was spotted stealing a box of vape pens from EZ Superfood Mart by a customer in October 2024, and along with several others was involved in an insane conspiracy. He was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of carrying out the crime.
Police said the shoplifting suspect fled on foot before Patel and several others chased him in a van and pepper-sprayed him in the face. The man crawled into the garden, where he was “stomped on the back” by another person, the newspaper reported.
Police said Patel allegedly “pushed up the victim’s shorts and sprayed pepper spray in his anus” before pulling the victim into the van. The group then took the man to a garage near Patel’s convenience store, where they allegedly assaulted him by punching, kicking and hitting him with pieces of wood.
The shoplifting suspect, whose identity has not been released, was put back in the van and driven to Lee Street, where he was dropped off. The victim then called her mother to come pick her up.
The man suffered bruises and bruises and required stitches on his right shin, the paper said.
Patel is charged with kidnapping, second-degree assault and complicity in wanton endangerment, a legal term that refers to reckless conduct that creates a substantial risk of serious injury or death to another person. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is currently being held at the Louisville Metro Detention Center.
Mr. Patel’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 24.
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In particular, the recent incident is just one example of store owners and employees resorting to violent methods to fight shoplifting suspects. Last month, a North Carolina convenience store owner was found guilty of manslaughter for killing a man who allegedly stole a bottle of Gatorade, according to Newsweek.
That same month, a New Orleans store clerk shot and killed 16-year-old Cecil Battis after he allegedly tried to rob a store at gunpoint.
