Monessen chief foils alleged shoplifter

By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
Monessen police Chief Jim Smith was in the right place to catch an alleged thief Monday night.
Smith, who was off duty at the time, was at Walmart in Rostraver Township just before 7 p.m., picking up items for his daughter’s Valentine’s Day party at school.
As he was leaving, Smith said, an alarm went off and a greeter tried to stop a man who was later identified as Gregory A. Sokol, 32, of Ohio Street, Pricedale.
“I hear the greeter say, ‘Sir, stop,’ and Sokol bumps into me, pushes me out of his way and starts out the door,” Smith said, adding that he could plainly see a box was shoved under Sokol’s shirt.

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