In a bizarre twist worthy of a crime caper, the owner of an Italian restaurant in Maryville has been charged with theft after he reportedly pilfered thousands of dollars' worth of meat from various local grocery stores. Clement Milanzi, the proprietor of Joe's Italian Cuisine, was arrested for allegedly stuffing steak down his pants and skip-scanning items in a series of shoplifting stunts.
According to an arrest report from the Knox County Sheriff's Office, Milanzi was caught on camera at a Kroger on Northshore Drive in Knoxville, where he selected over $166 worth of goods, only to brazenly transfer four steaks to his pants in a quiet aisle. The shifty chef then reportedly attempted to sneakily leave the store but was detained when officers discovered the stolen items in his cart and on his person. As reported by WBIR, Milanzi has apparently been visiting the store nearly every day since December 28, 2023.
Further investigation revealed that this was not a one-off incident. Officers observed in February that Milanzi concealed chicken in his pants before failing to scan it at self-checkout. Court documents indicated the stolen meat matched that served at Joe's Italian Cuisine, hinting that Milanzi could have been provisioning his restaurant at the expense of local grocers. "It is more probable than not that the suspect is serving the stolen merchandise to benefit himself and the business," the report stated, as recounted by WBIR.
Diligent detectives have also linked Milanzi to thefts at other stores, including Aldi and Ingles in Lenoir City, and Food City in Maryville. Combined, these stores reported losses exceeding $4,000 in merchandise. Milanzi, who spearheaded the establishment of Joe's Italian Cuisine back in 2009 and expanded with locations in Lenoir City and Maryville, is set to face the music in court on May 6. The oddity of the case has certainly caught the attention of the locals, who are used to paying for their meat at the counter – not stashing it in their slacks.
Further details divulged by WATE reveal that the court docket described the merchandise Milanzi allegedly secreted away as consistent with the provisions of an Italian dining establishment.
