Published: November 02, 2009 11:08 pm      

Store employee winds up in jail

JOHNSTOWN — A Johnstown man was jailed after he fired one shot into the air while trying to frighten a suspected shoplifter, city police said.

Jason Truscott, 30, of Tillman Avenue – an employee of Value-It, based in the former Value City store in Richland Township – fired a round from a .40-caliber handgun Thursday night as he and a co-worker chased a group of suspected shoplifters, police said.

“Chasing after a shoplifter is one thing,” Johnstown police Capt. Andy Frear said later. “Firing a gun at someone for retail theft is inappropriate.”

According to a court document, store owner Jeff Bidleman told police that Truscott and another employee, John Stuart, confronted several people suspected of stealing merchandise from the Scalp Avenue store.

Stuart said the store had been having trouble with shoplifters.

The employees later located a person they believed to be a shoplifter sitting in a red Pontiac on Jacoby Street in the city. The employees demanded to know “where the merchandise was that was taken.”

Stuart told police he pulled a .45-caliber handgun and held it at his side when he thought the suspected thief was about to draw a weapon.

The man then ran from the vehicle. Truscott, who also had a handgun, chased him and fired one shot into the air. Truscott walked the man back to the vehicle just as police arrived.

Police confiscated both handguns.

Authorities searched the Pontiac but found no merchandise or weapons.

No shoplifting charges had been filed as of Monday evening.

Truscott was charged with terroristic threats, simple assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.

He was arraigned Friday by District Judge Mary Ann Zanghi of Vinco and sent to Cambria County Prison after failing to post 10 percent of his $25,000 bond.