A Rochester man is facing felony robbery and theft charges in a series of shoplifting incidents last year, including incidents in Coon Rapids and Fridley. In one instance he allegedly pointed bear spray at employees of Bed, Bath and Beyond in Coon Rapids so he could escape.
From May 16 to October 30, 2020, Darcy Lewis, 21, was caught six separate times for shoplifting anywhere from $115.97 to $1,134.47 worth of merchandise, according to the criminal complaint. Lewis was recently charged in Anoka County with felony simple robbery, felony theft ($500 or less) and felony theft (over $1,000).
Lewis was identified by a Target loss prevention investigator after an Anoka County investigator uploaded photos from a Bed Bath and Beyond shoplifting incident to a retail crime database.
According to the criminal complaint, Lewis stole items including clothes, a stroller and a portable play yard from Target stores in Fridley, East St. Paul and northeast Minneapolis.
Two Bed Bath and Beyond employees in Coon Rapids reported Lewis shoplifting on Oct. 30, 2020. He entered the store about 3:20 PM and put $322.95 worth of merchandise in a cart, which he tried to take without paying, according to the complaint.
An employee tried to stop him and tell him he needed to pay for his items. Lewis allegedly hip-checked the employee to get him out of the way. Another employee told Lewis he needed to pay for his items. He reportedly pointed a can of bear spray at the two employees, so they let him leave. One employee used her cellphone to take pictures of him as he went to his vehicle, which she provided to police in addition to surveillance video.
Once police uploaded photos of Lewis to a retail crime database, a Target loss prevention investigator provided police with Lewis’ Facebook page, in which he can be seen wearing similar clothes to the man photographed at Bed Bath and Beyond, the charges say.
The county issued a warrant for Lewis’ arrest on March 17… ABC Newspapers