What started out as an attempt to arrest a man for shoplifting yesterday quickly turned into a high-speed police chase by police from across the metro area -- and ending in the man's arrest and much more serious charges. He is now accused of shoplifting, traffic violations, and felony aggravated assault.

According to Alpharetta police spokesperson George Gordon, the shoplifting suspect was accused of stealing jeans and shirts from the North Point Mall Dillard's around 9:00 p.m. Tuesday night. When police pulled him over on Mansell Road near the mall, the suspect waited for the officer to get out of his car and approach, then drove off.

"What initiated this pursuit -- obviously, the suspect stole the clothing from Dillard's -- but he tried to ram one of the police units during [an] encounter with Alpharetta police," said Gordon.

The officers followed the suspected shoplifter through side streets near the mall, then onto northbound Georgia Highway 400.

"The suspect was throwing clothing out the window, during the pursuit, that he had stolen from the department store," Gordon continued, explaining that he was probably trying to get rid of the evidence of his shoplifting.

Next, the man tried to ram one of the Alpharetta police cruisers with his car.

In hot pursuit, Alpharetta police followed him into Forsyth County, where they were joined in the chase by Forsyth County Sheriff's deputies.

"He traveled a great distance, into Forsyth County," Gordon said, "and it was a high speed pursuit, especially after he tried to ram the Alpharetta police unit."

The Sheriff's deputies placed "stop sticks" on the highway, which deflated one of the suspect car's tires, causing the man to lose control of the car. He swiped a guard rail and then ran into a Forsyth County Sheriff's cruiser, which finally ended the chase.

"The suspect was stopped around exit 15, on Georgia 400, and taken into custody," said Gordon.

Suspect Traded a Shoplifting Charge for Much More Serious Charges

"This was just another futile attempt at a smash and grab at a local mall," Gordon told the press. Because the man attempted to flee and led police on a dangerous chase, however, he's now accused of much more serious offenses.

The man, whose name has not yet been released, is likely facing theft charges in connection with the shoplifting, several expensive traffic tickets related to the chase, and felony aggravated assault for trying to ram the police car, Gordon says.

Authorities are also investigating whether the man is linked to other smash-and-grab style shoplifting incidents around the metro area.

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