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Driver in inept theft gets jail, restitution The getaway driver in a caper described as a "shoplifting gone bad" pleaded guilty Thursday to a reduced robbery charge. Joseph Merrle Farris, 28, was sentenced to six months in jail for his role in the bizarre botchup Dec. 3 at the Medford Costco store -- an incident that involved the unintentional abduction of an employee who tried to stop the suspects. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors dropped charges of first-degree theft and reckless endangerment. The Grants Pass man was one of three defendants in the case, which began when a store employee chased a woman who stole three Sony PlayStation video game machines and two leather jackets. The woman fled through an emergency exit to a getaway car waiting at the side door with the driver at the wheel. The employee tried to stop the pair -- only to find himself in the car as it sped off. About a mile away, police caught up with the car. Farris and Raelene Michele Monk, 22, were arrested on robbery and theft charges. Monk was also accused of assaulting the employee. Monk, 22, failed to appear Monday for a pre-trial conference. A warrant was issued for her arrest. Also on Monday, a former Costco employee who prosecutors say was the mastermind behind the heist pleaded guilty to first-degree theft. Rodney Quinn Still, 32, was placed on two years of supervised probation and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service. Prosecutors dropped a conspiracy charge. Still and Farris are roommates. In court Thursday, Farris apologized to the court "and the people that I caused harm." His attorney, Eugene Thompson, said the theft scheme was never meant to go down as a strong-arm robbery. "Basically this is just a shoplifting gone bad," he told the court. "Mr. Farris made a mistake. It was a real nasty situation.'' Crain also placed Farris on two years of supervised probation, fined him $600 and ordered restitution. Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA