A suspected shoplifting case inside a Burlington store escalated from a dispute over merchandise into spitting, kicking, threats and an assault charge after officers detained a person who repeatedly insisted the items had been purchased.
Bodycam footage released by the YouTube channel Police Release shows the May 13, 2026 encounter from the moment officers arrived at the store through the suspect’s eventual removal in a patrol car, while the channel’s narration said the suspect was later charged with theft, assault on a peace officer and harassment.
The video was titled around the suspect being misgendered during the encounter, although the footage itself shows that the confrontation quickly became focused on the alleged theft, the missing receipt and the suspect’s increasingly aggressive behavior.
Officers Arrive During An Active Shoplifting Call
According to Police Release, officers were dispatched to Burlington while store employees were dealing with an ongoing shoplifting incident.
When police arrived, the suspect immediately denied stealing anything and argued with employees, insisting merchandise had already been purchased.
An employee could be heard saying she had heard tags being removed in the back of the store, while the suspect claimed the tag being taken off belonged to perfume that had already been bought.
Officers then asked the suspect to place a purse down and turn around before explaining that the detention was temporary while they investigated what had happened.
The situation became tense almost immediately.
Bodycam audio captured officers repeatedly telling the suspect to stop moving as they attempted to place handcuffs on, while the suspect continued protesting that nothing had been stolen.
The person was then escorted outside toward a police vehicle as store employees began going through the merchandise left behind.
Employees Say Tags Had Been Removed
Inside the store, employees told officers that several items appeared to belong to Burlington and that tags had apparently been removed.
One employee said she believed tags had been flushed down the toilet after the suspect went into a restroom and ignored requests to come out.
The employees began sorting through bags and separating personal belongings from merchandise they believed had not been purchased.
Because the assistant manager did not have immediate access to the store’s surveillance system, officers relied initially on employee statements, the merchandise itself and whatever documentation could be produced.
One manager also asked that the suspect be permanently trespassed from the store because of the behavior during the encounter.
“She didn’t need to act like that,” the employee told police, adding that the violent conduct was not something she wanted in the store.
At that point, officers were still trying to determine exactly what had been taken and whether the suspect had proof of purchase.
The Suspect Insists There Is A Receipt
Outside, an officer attempted to identify the suspect and repeatedly asked for a name and date of birth.
The suspect remained hostile and kept returning to the same claim: there was a receipt proving the merchandise had been paid for.
After some back-and-forth, the suspect said the receipt covered shampoo, conditioner and perfume.
An officer then asked for permission to search the purse for the receipt.
The suspect agreed, and the officer searched the bag.
No receipt was found.
The suspect then said the items had been purchased only minutes before entering the restroom, but officers said store employees had reported no corresponding sale.
At that point, what had started as a factual disagreement over whether the merchandise had been paid for was moving toward an arrest.
The absence of a receipt alone would not necessarily settle every theft allegation, but combined with employee statements about removed tags and the lack of a matching transaction, officers clearly believed they had enough to proceed.
Spitting Turns The Encounter Into An Assault Case
As one officer began advising the suspect of Miranda rights, the situation escalated sharply.
The suspect spat directly into an officer’s face.
“Now she’s under arrest for assault three,” another officer said on the bodycam after the spitting incident.
From there, the interaction became significantly more physical.
The suspect shouted insults and threats, resisted officers’ efforts to control the situation and began kicking while police attempted to secure the person safely.
Officers called for leg restraints and eventually placed a spit hood over the suspect’s head, explaining that it was being used because they did not want anyone else being spit on.
The footage shows several officers working together to restrain the suspect’s arms and legs before moving the person toward the patrol vehicle.
The escalation is important because, by this point, the original shoplifting allegation was no longer the only legal issue.
Even if the theft dispute had somehow been resolved differently, spitting on an officer, resisting restraint and making threats had created a separate set of problems.
Threats Continue At The Patrol Car
The suspect continued yelling after being restrained and made several explicit threats toward officers.
At one point, the suspect repeatedly threatened to kill them.
Officers continued trying to place the person into the patrol vehicle while warning against further kicking and damage.
The suspect also threatened to kick an officer in the face and continued shouting insults from inside the car.
Police eventually decided to transport the suspect and complete the remaining paperwork afterward, including the theft allegation and additional reports tied to the conduct during the arrest.
The store also issued a lifetime criminal trespass notice, permanently barring the suspect from entering Burlington Coat Factory.
That consequence may be less serious than a criminal charge, but it illustrates how much the encounter expanded beyond the original accusation.
What could have remained a relatively routine retail-theft investigation instead became a prolonged confrontation involving several officers, physical restraints and multiple alleged offenses.
Police Release Says Three Charges Followed
According to the Police Release narration at the end of the video, the suspect was charged with theft, assault on a peace officer and harassment.
The channel also said the individual received a lifetime ban from Burlington Coat Factory.
The footage does not show the final court outcome, so the charges should not be treated as proof of guilt.
Still, the bodycam makes clear that the situation deteriorated substantially after police arrived.
The suspect repeatedly argued that the merchandise had been purchased and insisted a receipt existed, but after officers failed to locate one and store employees continued disputing that account, the confrontation shifted into conduct that was captured directly on camera.
That is ultimately what makes the video notable.
The original issue was a shoplifting accusation that still had to be investigated, but once the suspect spit in an officer’s face, kicked during restraint and began making threats, the encounter moved well beyond a dispute over store merchandise and into a much more serious arrest.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, John developed a love for the great outdoors early on. With years of experience as a wilderness guide, he’s navigated rugged terrains and unpredictable weather patterns. John is also an avid hunter and fisherman who believes in sustainable living. His focus on practical survival skills, from building shelters to purifying water, reflects his passion for preparedness. When he’s not out in the wild, you can find him sharing his knowledge through writing, hoping to inspire others to embrace self-reliance.
