Shoplifter assaults mall security officer

STAFF REPORT

NILES — A security officer for the Eastwood Mall reported that a woman shoplifter assaulted him or her while the shoplifter was being escorted from the mall Monday evening.

Police said the shoplifter was believed to have taken merchandise from the Hot Topic store in the mall. After hitting the guard, the woman fled in a red Chevrolet Lumina about 6 p.m., Niles police said.

The security guard had not identified the woman, but when officers checked the license- plate number provided by the guard, they determined that it belonged to a “known shoplifter.”

Police advised the security guard to consult with the city prosecutor about filing charges.