Police: Man Threatens Security Guard Over Stolen T-Shirts

A 40-year-old Washington, D.C., man has been accused of threatening a mall security guard with a pocketknife while attempting to steal 10 T-shirts over the weekend.

Lonnell Andre Buford has been arrested and charged with robbery and possession of burglarious tools. He remained in jail under a $2,500 bond late Tuesday, according to the Arlington County Sheriff's Office.

At about 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Buford attempted to steal 10 T-shirts from a store in the Pentagon City mall, according to information police released this week.

Buford brought a shopping bag from another store — lined with aluminum foil in order to get past the store's security system — to put the shirts in, police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said.

Sternbeck would not name the store.

A loss prevention officer, who was unarmed, saw Buford and attempted to stop him, Sternbeck said. Buford ran, and the security guard followed. The two confronted one another in a nearby hallway, at which point Buford threatened the loss prevention officer with a pocketknife, Sternbeck said.

Buford continued to run, but by then police had been notified, Sternbeck said.

He was soon taken into custody without incident in a parking garage near the mall.