Update: Suspected Beer Thief Pulls Knife on Oconee Walmart Security Guard, Flees

Update Friday, Nov. 30 at 9 a.m. : The Sheriff's Office reports the suspect is in custody. More details to follow.

A Wal-mart security guard says he struggled with a shoplifting suspect who threatened him with a knife before fleeing on foot from the Epps Bridge Parkway store Wednesday.

It happened around 9:30 a.m., according to an incident report on file at the Oconee County Sheriff's Office.   The loss prevention officer told deputies he witnessed the man exit the store with two cases of 36 cans of beer, turn around, re-enter the store and set the cases down.  When he confronted the man, the guard says a struggle ensued and the man pulled out a folding pocket knife and threatened him with it. 

The man then fled from the store, ran through the parking lot toward Murphy's gas station, crossed Epps Bridge Parkway and ran into the area of Pine Ridge Court, the guard said.

Deputies combed the area but did not locate the suspect.  He is described as a white male between 25-30 years of age with short brown or dirty blonde hair, 150-180 lbs and 5'7"- 5'8." He was wearing glasses, baggy blue jeans, white tennis shoes and a grey t-shirt with the word "engineering" on the back, according to Sheriff Scott Berry.

Last week the same loss prevention officer reported he'd been bitten by a man he accused of shoplifting digital cameras.  Two arrests were made in that case.

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