Video: New Year’s Eve reveler steals booze, hits Safeway worker with pepper spray

Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a shoplifter who loaded up a gift bag with booze and sprayed a Safeway employee with pepper spray on New Year’s Eve.

The man grabbed a large blue gift bag and filled it with two vodka gift boxes and other alcohol bottles at Safeway, 7110 N. Oracle Road, at 9:18 p.m. on Dec. 31, and fled without paying, Deputy Tom Peine, a Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokesman said in news release.

A loss prevention officer followed the man outside and demanded he give back the loot. Instead the man sprayed the officer in the eyes with pepper spray, the release said.

The theft was captured on the store’s surveillance video.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME (882-7463).

Veronica M. Cruz