Police: Employee beaten for reporting suspected shoplifter

KSDK -- The 37-year-old father of a suspected shoplifter held down a store employee while she was punched and kicked for telling police his daughter shoplifted from a jewelry store at South County Center.

St. Louis County police said the 20-year-old employee contacted police Friday night after seeing a 17-year-old girl take a necklace from Claire's.

Police took the suspect into custody, but let her go because she did not have a previous criminal record. She received a criminal court summons.

Police said the employee was attacked on Sunday afternoon in apparent retaliation. Police said the man came into the store and looked at some items and then left. Then, a woman came in to the store and threw the employee to the ground and punched her.

The suspect's father came back to the store and held the employee down while the attack continued.

The suspect's father has been taken into custody. His name has not been released because prosecutors have not filed charges.

The female attacker has not been taken into custody.