Employees nab man who took items from store

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The employees of a Seymour auto parts store helped nab a man who grabbed more than $800 in merchandise Wednesday evening and fled to his awaiting vehicle.

Justin D. Sparks, 28, of Aurora was cited outside O’Reilly Auto Parts, 1111 E. Tipton St., for theft and released, Seymour Officer Jeremy Helmsing said.

Helmsing, a public information officer for the department, said Sparks, however, faces potential robbery resulting in injury and battery with a deadly weapon charges.

The two Level 6 felony charges stem from what happened after Sparks grabbed the items, valued at $801.92, and left the store, Helmsing said.

Sparks was pursued out of the building by store employees and got in his vehicle and tried to leave, but he was held up long enough that police had the chance to arrive and arrest him, Helmsing said.

Officers Kevin Settle, Ben Miller and Devlin McMindes responded to what was originally reported as a personal injury wreck involving a pedestrian and a car, Helmsing said. That was at 9:05 p.m. Wednesday.

Sparks was cited for a Level 6 felony theft charge because the amount taken was more than $750.

The robbery with injury charge is being sought by police because someone was injured during the effort to stop Sparks from leaving, while the battery with a deadly weapon charge is being sought because he tried to use the vehicle to flee, Helmsing said.

Once completed, the case will be sent to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office for review, Helmsing said.

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