A shoplifter died today. he went into a well known bc audio store and tried to shoplift. the workers at the store did a citizens arrest and detained the man until police could arrive. unfortunately the shoplifter had a heart attack and died in hospital today. very tragic and very sad. i just wanted to say that it is all bad when an act of crime ends up in a death. I'm sure the shoplifter didn't think that his life would end that way and i'm sure that the workers at the store did'nt know that the conflict would send the shoplifter into cardiac arrest. I figure that i post this today to show that nothing good can come from crime. even something as petty as shoplifting. it ain;t worth dying for.

[ February 13, 2004, 12:20 AM: Message edited by: Team Shadow ]

that sucks...I wonder how the workers feel? probably not very good.....

saw the owner of the store in tears at a press conference. i think i'd panic if that happened to me

I would hope i never....or anyone has to experience what that mst be like but i guess sometimes it happens......

This may raise some eyebrows around here.

I know the kid that was taken off life support today. he was a drug addict and a fulltime thief. Our family have had run ins with him quite a few times. His criminal record is quite extensive in his 22 years.

The Andre`s staff have been cleared from wrong doing or excessive force used in restraining him.

I do feel bad for Andre and his staff as this will affect his business to a point and Andre is a great guy.

What gets me is, what if the cops had been right there as this happened and they restrained him? What if he robbed a bank and was held by staff or customers? How would they play the health concern (heart attack)?Who would be blamed then?

I personally put it to the kids drug abuse and drinking. What about the parents and friends?

Well, the friends should have realized he had a problem, same with the parents. They should have gotten him into a program or even turned him in to get him some help.

I would have liked to see the kid get some jail time and help to clean up, not end his life for a piece of electronics to feed whatever habit he has.

God, if this was a communist country, you would never have heard about this cause it happens all the time. Let it happen in a "civilized" country and you will never hear the end of it.

Now watch for a big lawsuit to follow.I can see it coming.........

[ February 13, 2004, 01:54 AM: Message edited by: Toyrantula ]

this isn't the US, I do not think that a law suit would get too far

i am an employee at , my name is dave oakley, i was just as shocked as everyone when the news came down the young man died. yes, its hard on all of us, especially the family of evan larson. i just wish that evan could have gotten the help he needed to get his life back on track. 22 years old, far to young to have lived through what im sure was a very painful and trying life. andre is a very emotional guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, and i dont know if any of you saw the press conference, but if you did you would know what i mean. unfortunately, due to the ongoing rcmp investigation im not allowed to give details of what happened. in speaking with the two employees involved, they were stunned with what happened, what is really sad is that something like shoplifting can end with the end of a life, truly tragic. im not sure of the lesson to be learned, im sure there is one, its a lesson that i imagine only time will make clear, but for evan......peace brother!

yeah thats not cool at all but sometimes a leeson is only learned through other peoples mistakes. Maybe other shoplifters will see that it's not worth it to try. :(

Sad, but let it be a lesson, don't do drugs, and don't steal.

I find a lot of these comments puzzling. From what I know it was not the act of capture that made the kid have the heart attack. Bad bad coincidence that was triggered by the event but was very likely an eventuality anyway.

I have little remorse for a habitual drug user and thief. I feel bad for his family though.