Shoplifting suspect pushes employee

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Police were able to track a man suspected of stealing several items from a Lincoln Knolls Plaza store on the East Side on Monday after an employee took a picture of his car’s license plate with her cellphone.

Reports also say the suspect, 50-year-old Erick l. Jackson of Lilburn Drive, pushed out of his way an employee who tried to bar him from leaving the Dollar General Store on McCartney Road about 4 p.m. Monday.

Police were called to the store and told a man had come in and then left with a large bulge inside his coat as though he were hiding something, reports said.

The man then came back in and tried to leave again, and this time he had two bulges inside his coat. An employee stood in front of the door, but the man pushed the employee and opened the door, then grabbed her hand and pulled it, reports said.

When the man left, the employee took a picture of the license plate on the car, reports said. Officers were able to use computers in their cruisers to trace the car to Jackson and his home. The employee was able to identify Jackson through his driver’s license photo on the officers’ mobile cruiser, reports said.

Officers then went to Jackson’s home, and when they arrived, he was pulling in his drive. Reports said when he saw officers he jumped out of his car. A man inside the home told police Jackson was inside, and officers went inside and arrested him, reports said.

Reports said Jackson told officers the store employee assaulted him. Jackson also told police he used some of the motor oil he is accused of taking to put in his car because the oil was low. Jackson was arrested on charges of theft and assault and taken to the Mahoning County jail.