By Jim Clark

Police responded to the Target store on Somerville Ave. on Saturday after receiving reports of a suspected shoplifter being pursued by store loss prevention personnel.

Upon arrival, the store loss prevention staffers approached the police cruiser and indicated that the suspect they were pursuing was walking away from the store, allegedly carrying store merchandise with him concealed inside his backpack.

The officers approached the suspect, later identified as Atem Agok, who police report has a history of both shoplifting and assault charges in the city.

According to reports, when the officers confronted Agok he immediately became argumentative and began screaming and refused to hand over his backpack for them to search. Police said that he repeatedly yelled, “These are my clothes!”

The officers then reportedly had no choice but to forcibly take Agok’s backpack from him, at the same time placing him in handcuffs as he was resisting and trying to take back the bag.

Police said that the backpack was found to contain a red jacket and a pair of khaki cargo pants, each with store tags still on them. When asked if he had a receipt for the merchandise he reportedly continued screaming at the officers, repeatedly threatening to sue them.

Police noted in their report that Agok’s screaming was drawing attention of passers-by, both on foot and driving by.

Agok was subsequently placed under arrest and charged with disorderly conduct and shoplifting by asportation.