A routine Sunday trip to the Hartwell Kroger allegedly turned ugly when a shopper collapsed from a heart attack and, in the middle of the life-or-death scramble to save him, another man is accused of swooping in to steal his belongings.
Investigators say the medical emergency unfolded inside the Vine Street store on June 9, when the shopper suffered a heart attack and EMTs began CPR. As first responders worked on the victim, 49-year-old Clifford Jones allegedly zeroed in on the man’s property, according to WKRC Local 12.
Court papers say Jones told a store security guard he was a relative of the stricken shopper and claimed he would take the victim’s property to the hospital. Prosecutors say that was a lie, the two men were complete strangers, and the items never made it back to their rightful owner, per WKRC Local 12.
The documents describe the collapse and the tense scene inside the Kroger, with medics working to revive the shopper while the alleged theft unfolded nearby. “Jones and the victim are strangers and Jones did not return the items,” prosecutors wrote in the filing, according to WKRC Local 12.
Jones was arrested on July 14 and arraigned the following day in Hamilton County on a theft charge.
What the charge carries in Ohio
Ohio treats theft differently depending on how much is allegedly taken and how it happens. Under Ohio Revised Code section 2913.02, theft can range from a misdemeanor to a felony based on the value of the property. Stealing items worth $1,000 or more can be charged as a fifth-degree felony, with higher value brackets triggering more serious penalties, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
What's next
Jones’s case now moves through the Hamilton County courts, where prosecutors will decide whether to pursue additional charges or consider options like pretrial diversion. Authorities have not said how much the allegedly stolen items were worth. Anyone with information about what happened inside the Hartwell Kroger on June 9 is urged to contact local investigators.
