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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 18, 2005 Don’t mess with man in the blue vest Teen camera-snatcher was chased to ground by a Wal-Mart door greeter and a pair of Samaritans By CHRIS CONRAD Mail Tribune A 19-year-old shoplifter met his match Tuesday afternoon when he was chased and captured by a Korean War veteran, a disabled motorist and a 55-year-old man with an injured shoulder. In his six years as a Wal-Mart door greeter, Jim Estep, of Eagle Point, has dealt with his share of shoplifters. So he knew exactly what to do when he saw a young man try to escape the store with a stolen Kodak camera. After ignoring Estep’s orders to show his receipt after a security tag set off an alarm, Estep followed the man out the door, yelling at the him to return. "My intentions at the time were to follow him out to his car to get his license plate number," Estep said. Glenn Hobbs, of Medford, heard the commotion from the parking lot and decided to help, Medford police Lt. Mike Moran said. Advertisement Hobbs, too, began following the man across the parking lot, Moran said. Soon, they were joined by a John Carpenter, 45, of White City, who drove up alongside the suspect in his pickup. Carpenter, who is disabled, told the suspect that he should just give up, because he could not outrun the truck, Moran said. The suspect then bolted, leading the men on a chase that stretched across the Wal-Mart and Costco parking lots and across a street, Moran said. Estep took off his bright-blue work vest when he saw the man was looking behind him to see if he was still being followed. "As long as he saw that blue vest, he knew I was after him," Estep said. The suspect fled north across the street to the parking lot of a Northwest Credit Union. The lot was blocked by a fence, forcing him to run around it and into an empty lot. Hobbs continued the pursuit, Estep said. By the time Estep reached the edge of Costco’s parking lot, he was winded. A Wal-Mart manager told him to get back to the store to rest. "(The manager) told me I could have had a heart attack or that the guy could have had a gun," Estep said. "I sometimes think I’m 20 when I’m 73." Estep was on his way back to the store when he turned and saw the suspect — with Hobbs hot on his heels —barreling toward him. Apparently, the man had doubled back, re-crossed the street and was heading back toward Costco. "I was just getting to Costco, when I saw Glenn chasing him," Estep said. "I saw Glenn trip on a curb and mess up his shoulder pretty good. The more he ran the madder he got." Estep, seeing the opportunity for an ambush, hid behind a car. When the man came near, Estep sprung from behind the car and raised his fists. Hobbs approached the suspect, looking as if he was going punch him. "I told Glenn not to hit him because he would get an assault charge," Estep said. Police arrived shortly after and took the man, who was identified as Aaron Gerald McCoy, of the 200 block of Cedar Street in Rogue River. McCoy was lodged in jail on a charge of second-degree theft. Moran appreciates "Good Samaritan" help from the public, but said that anyone seeking to assist police with an arrest should be careful. "There’s no piece of property worth injuring yourself over," he said. Estep, though, knows that in these situations he is more than capable of defending himself. "I put 27 years in the service as a Korea and Vietnam veteran, so I wasn’t afraid what would happen when I caught him," he said. "I was just afraid I’d run out of breath." Reach reporting intern Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail Don�t mess with man in the blue vest ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s