Man attempts to shoplift in front of VicPD officers, gets caught

A Victoria Police Department crest is shown in this undated photo. (File Photo)

Victoria police say an alleged shoplifter was arrested on Tuesday at Mayfair Mall after he attempted to steal in front of a pair of officers.

The attempted theft occurred at approximately 12:40 p.m. when staff at a store in the mall were discussing a string of recent shoplifting incidents with police.

While two officers, who were in full uniform, were speaking with staff about the recent thefts, police say one of the officers spotted a man hurrying out of the shop with an item "partially hidden under his jacket."

The man walked past cashiers and exited the store before the officers caught up with him.

Once they began speaking with the man, police say they discovered a product that was stolen from the store.

The man was arrested without incident and was later released on conditions, including a ban on returning to the mall.

The item was returned to the store, which police say was also the location of a recent robbery that involved a man assaulting a store employee.