A 26-year-old man was taken into custody by Beaverton police after an attempted theft escalated to assault with bear spray at Washington Square Mall. The suspect, identified by law enforcement as the perpetrator, reportedly sprayed a store manager in the face with the mace as the manager attempted to prevent him from shoplifting. Kelsey Anderson, a spokesperson for the Tigard Police, reported by KOIN that the arrest occurred at a transit station in Beaverton. He has been booked on accusations of theft and unlawful use of mace.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, resulted in multiple shoppers suffering from exposure to the bear spray's effects, which irritated them. However, no serious injuries or hospitalizations were reported. The accused has since apologized for his actions, though details of the apology remain unspecified. In a statement detailed by OregonLive, investigators linked the suspect to two additional thefts involving merchandise, including bear spray, from other stores earlier that same day.
Further investigations revealed that the string of thefts was not limited to that Monday. Police believe the same man was responsible for a separate theft of an electric bicycle from a store in Tualatin last Wednesday. The suspect, now identified as Lent, was implicated in thefts from a second store in Washington Square Mall that occurred a few hours before the bear spray incident, as KPTV reported.
The arrest ended the series of crimes when Lent was located by transit police on Wednesday evening. Following his apprehension in Beaverton, authorities hope that a broader understanding of his motives and actions will surface as they delve into the recent wave of thefts.
