Two incidents around the city in the last few weeks centered on the same theme: attempts to shoplift booze foiled by employees.

The tamer of the two incidents happened at 8:15 p.m. on May 7 at the Central Co-op on East Pine and Madison Street, says a police report. A security guard pursued a man who had allegedly put a bottle of wine into a messenger bag and left the store. The security guard ran after him and "tripped [him] with his feet," knocking him to the ground. The suspect hopped up and pushed the guard hard in the chest, making him "reluctant to re-engage" the suspect in fear that someone might be injured. However, the guard did follow the suspect and continuously gave Seattle Police updates on his location. After a brief backyard chase and multiple attempts by the suspect to hide in the bushes, the alleged shoplifter was arrested by SPD and booked.

The wilder incident happened two days prior, around 4:30 p.m. at a shop on South King Street. After a man allegedly put two cans of beer into his pockets and left the store, the store owner chased after the suspect and "the two got into a physical fight." The suspect punched the owner in the back of the head, according to a police report, at which point the store owner decided "he was unwilling to be a victim of the theft and assault" and reengaged the suspect, recovering not just both beer cans but also the suspect's wallet. After being contacted by police, the store owner said he didn't want a police report completed because he had gotten the beers back, but I suspect it was also because he had taken the guy's wallet in the process. The owner gave the wallet to police, a report was completed anyway, and police were unable to locate the suspect.