3 Stores Hit By 1 Shoplifter On Thursday In Cleveland Heights

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Police are looking for a man suspected of shoplifting from three different stores in one night on Cleveland Heights. The suspect stole merchandise from Zagara's, CVS and Family Dollar on Thursday.

The first theft happened at about 7:30 p.m. at the CVS on Lee Road. The manager of the drugstore called police and reported that someone had stolen Monster Energy drinks, Boost Energy, and Ensure Nutrition drinks. The man apparently left the store with a cart full of the items and walked toward Cedar Road. He left through one of the store's emergency exits, according to police reports.

While police were still investigating the CVS theft, they got word that Zagara's staff were reporting a shoplifting incident with a suspect matching the description of the CVS suspect. Officers rushed to the scene.

The suspect had been seen loading stolen items into the back of a tan Chevy. Officers found the vehicle and recovered the stolen merchandise, but the driver was not the shoplifter, police said.

More than $600 of merchandise had been stolen from Zagara's.

Later that night, officers were sent to Family Dollar for another shoplifting report. Again, the suspect description matched the description of the suspect at CVS and Zagara's.

This time the man stole a shopping cart full of tampons, a clerk told police. He again had exited through one of the store's emergency exits.

A Good Samaritan saw the suspect running out of the store with the merchandise and chased him north onto Lee Road. He lost the suspect in that area, according to police.

Anyone with information on the thefts or the identity of the shoplifter is asked to contact the Cleveland Heights Police tip line at 216-291-5010 or dispatch at 216-321-1234.

Photo from Cleveland Heights Police