Anchorage police opened an investigation into a shoplifting-turned-robbery that occurred at the Home Depot Northway on Wednesday afternoon, APD says.

The call went in to dispatch at 2:05 pm on Wednesday reporting that a shoplifter had a physical confrontation with loss prevention personnel as the shoplifter/robber, identified as 31-year-old KC J Barnette, was attempting to leave the store with his purloined goods.

When loss prevention confronted Barnette after seeing him trying to make off with approximately $600 worth of stolen items, a struggle broke out and Barnette pulled out an ax that he was trying to steal and ” held it up over his head like he was going to strike LP, which put LP in fear of immediate substantial injury,” the report said.

The store reported that two items were recovered, but Barnette took off with the remainder when he fled on his bike.

Arriving officers, armed with a description of the suspect, spotted Barnette behind some trees south of Penland Parkway on Airport Heights. When contacted, Barnette had bags with the goods hanging from his handlebars. He was taken into custody without incident.

Barnette was charged with Robbery I, Theft II, and Assault III. He was remanded to the Anchorage Correctional Facility.

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