Something didn’t look quite right about the man with a bulky protrusion in his clothing, who wound up being charged this week with stealing costly steaks from a Mount Airy supermarket which he had stuffed into his pants.
Rodney Jay Canter II, 39, of 153 McMillian Lane, is accused of taking items valued at more than $100 from Lowes Foods on West Independence Boulevard, including two packages of ribeye steaks along with bacon.
After the Tuesday morning theft, Canter was able to make it outside the store — where his appearance gave him away, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.
“I noticed a bulge in his front pants,” Lt. R.N. Bennett stated on an arrest report regarding his encounter with Canter, who subsequently was charged with larceny and possession of stolen property.
This occurred after a call was received at the police station in reference to a man stealing merchandise from Lowes Foods. And upon responding a person matching the description of the alleged perpetrator was located nearby on West Pine Street at South Street, identified as Canter.
After the investigating officer noticed the bulge at the front of the suspect’s pants and “called him to me,” Bennett’s report states, Canter — whom police records indicate was on foot — admitted to taking the steaks, saying he had made a mistake.
The officer then located two packs of steaks, listed as USDA Select ribeyes and USDA Select Angus ribeyes, along with a package of smokehouse thick-sliced bacon, stuffed into the front of Canter’s pants.
“Like the old Wendy’s commercial, we found the beef,” Police Chief Dale Watson said Thursday afternoon in commenting on the case.
He was referring to a 1980s-era advertising slogan for the fast-food hamburger chain involving an elderly customer going to a competing restaurant and complaining about the small patty placed on her bun by shouting “where’s the beef?”
“It’s not very unusual,” Watson said of the type of offense involved.
“People will go to great lengths to conceal this type of crime,” he added, although Canter’s fashion choice for the alleged theft proved to be problematic. “Typically, people try to wear a different type of attire so it cannot bring attention to what they are doing.”
In addition to the bulging pants, Canter’s demeanor was suspicious when approached by the investigating officer, the chief said.
The total value of the meat products was listed as $101.
Although the merchandise was recovered from the man’s pants, restitution is owed to Lowes Foods in the matter, according to police records.
“The items were not in resalable condition,” Watson advised.
Canter was released from custody after a citation issuance and is scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on Sept. 12.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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