08/18/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, USA // Tara Monks // Tara Monks
Philadelphia, PA – A South Philadelphia police officer was injured during an encounter with a shoplifter at a Rite Aid Tuesday, August 17, 2010, as reported by the Philadelphia Enquirer.
Lt. Douglas Stanford, 52, and a 29-year veteran, went to the Rite Aid to perform a routine security check Tuesday afternoon. Employees at the store told Stanford a man had been walking through the aisles and putting various things in his bag. The shoplifter had been there for about 30 minutes, according to video surveillance footage.
Once Stanford approached the man outside the store, the man flipped him onto his back. Stanford suffered three broken ribs and a possible bruised lung, according to Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
A medic unit transported Stanford to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Initially, because Stanford reported extreme pain and inability to catch his breath, fellow officers feared he was suffering a heart attack. He was reported to be in critical condition upon arriving at the hospital, but was later upgraded to stable.
The assailant got away.
Police describe the man as approximately 6-foot-2, 250 pounds and between 35 to 40 years old. He had a beard and mustache and wore a black and whit shirt and black Capri pants.
His getaway vehicle was a 10-speed bicycle.
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