Grants Pass, Ore. — The effort to catch a suspected thief caused major damage to a Grants Pass business, and it was all caught on camera.
“I made a decision and that’s to do something right now,” store owner Mark Hutto said.
An average day quickly became anything but for Mark Hutto when Caleb Bradley walked into his store trying to sell jewelry.
“Well my first thought was I’m in over my head here,” Hutto said.
Hutto recognized Bradley since he’s seen his picture as wanted man accused of stealing $20,000 from a home in Sam’s Valley.
“It’s part of our duty to make sure that we’re buying things that aren’t stolen and that if the things are stolen that the people are taken into custody,” Hutto said.
Hutto wasn’t sure the jewelry was stolen, but he was sure he needed to call police.
That’s when a good deed took a bad turn.
When officers showed up, Bradley put up a fight.
“He tried to resist arrest and a lot of our cases were damaged. One of our antique cases from the 1800s that we had refurbished for presentation was completely destroyed and part of the merchandise in it was as well,” Hutto said.
Insurance can’t cover any of the damages to the jewelry and coin store.
Still Hutto has no regrets.
“That’s one of the benefits of actually calling police is that people who do these things will think twice before they come in your shop,” Hutto said.
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