Sacramento man arrested in store robbery and clerk assault, sheriff’s officials say
Detectives have arrested a Sacramento man who can be seen on security camera video stealing bottles of alcohol shortly before a Foresthill store employee was violently attacked while trying to stop the theft, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday afternoon
Vitaliy Blyshchyk was arrested on suspicion of robbery and criminal conspiracy in connection with the Feb. 3 store theft, sheriff’s officials wrote in a Facebook post. They also released a video of the store theft; this time blurring the face of a female accomplice. Detectives believe the accomplice appeared to be a minor.
Sheriff’s officials said the store employee chased Blyshchyk, 20, out of the store before the employee was assaulted by Blyshchyk and two other suspects. He also face a misdemeanor charge of shoplifting, according to jail records. Blyshchyk was booked at the jail Tuesday, and his bail was set at $50,000.
Detectives on Wednesday were still looking for the female accomplice and the getaway driver, who has been described as an “albino” male with blonde hair in a buzz cut. The female with dark hair was wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and black pants.
The theft occurred about 6:30 p.m. Feb. 3, when a male and female walked into Worton’s Market along Foresthill Road.
A store security camera captured the theft, as the male suspect tucked two bottles of alcohol under the back of his hooded-sweatshirt. Meanwhile, the female followed him out of the store.
The store employee chased the male, according to sheriff’s officials. Another security camera captured the chase through the store’s parking lot to a car across the street. A third suspect was waiting in the driver’s seat of that car.
Sheriff’s officials have said all three suspects attacked the store employee, punching and kicking him in the head. The suspects then jumped in the getaway car, before the store employee reached through the opened driver’s side window and got the driver in a headlock.
The getaway car began to pull away at about 35 mph, as the store employee was still hanging onto the driver, according to sheriff’s officials. The store employee yelled at the driver to slow down, which he did. The store employee then let go of the driver’s head.
Paramedics, who were in the store parking lot, helped the store employee, who suffered minor injuries. Sheriff’s officials say the getaway car appeared to be a white or silver four-door sedan.
Officials ask anyone with information about the two remaining suspects to call the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division at (530) 889-7830. Confidential tips also can be submitted by calling Placer County Crime Stoppers at (800) 923-8191 or visiting tips.placercrimestoppers.com.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 5:53 PM.
