Police: Man, banned from store, swipes two beers, coffee in separate incidents
SHENANDOAH – A man is facing multiple defiant trespass and theft charges after police say he came into a store in town, ignoring store management telling him to leave, before taking a beverage and leaving on three separate occasions.
Thomas Melusky, 37, who has no fixed address according to court documents, was charged twice by Shenandoah Police this week and is facing three counts of retail theft and two counts of defiant trespass.
According to the criminal complaints filed in Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker’s Shenandoah courtroom, Patrolman Hugh Clinton said he was called to the Friendly Food Mart on South Main Street around 2:30pm for a reported retail theft.
The store’s owner, Harnish Mehta, said a man, known to him as “Tommy” and who was banned from the establishment, had stopped by.
Mehta told the man, later identified as Melusky, to leave. Melusky ignored him, walked to the coolers in the back of the store, grabbed a 24oz can of Steel Reserve and left without paying. Mehta provided police with video of the encounter.
Clinton found Melusky near the Turkey Hill a few blocks away and approached him, asking about the incident. Clinton wrote that Melusky has been told by the owner multiple times that he wasn’t allowed there, to which Melusky confirmed, according to the criminal complaint. He said he would stay away from the store from now on.
Melusky was shown video of the incident as well.
Around 7:15pm the same day, police were called back to the Friendly Food Mart for a similar incident.
Melusky, again, police said, had arrived, walked to the back of the store while employees were telling him to leave, took a can of Steel Reserve, and left without paying.
Around 11:30am Thursday, police again were called to the Friendly Food Mart. Clinton responded and was told that Melusky and come in, filled a cup of coffee, and left. Video was shown of the incident again.
Melusky was found sitting outside the store, charging his phone on an outdoor outlet, and was promptly arrested.
He is facing multiple charges of defiant trespass and retail theft and is awaiting a preliminary hearing on Sept. 28.
About Author
