Security guard injured at WinCo

A shoplifting attempt at WinCo Foods on Franklin Road went sour Thursday night, leaving a security officer with a slash to his arm and an unsuccessful search for the suspects, Yuba City police said.

The incident began when two males and a female came into WinCo at around 9:12 p.m., police spokeswoman Shawna Pavey said. The female went in her own direction while the two males went to the hard alcohol aisle and placed two bottles — one vodka, one rum — inside their pants and attempted to leave.

The suspects were met by two WinCo security officers near the front of the store, at which point the two suspects began punching the officers, starting a struggle, Pavey said.

At this point a third suspect came into the fray, brandishing what appeared to be a knife, Pavey said.

The two suspects managed to break away from the struggle, but as one of the security officers tried to hold onto one of the subjects he had managed to handcuff, the third suspect attacked him with the knife, slashing him across the forearm, Pavey said.

The suspects then fled into the parking lot and attempted to leave in a Nissan coupe, but another customer backed up his vehicle to prevent the Nissan from leaving, Pavey said. The suspects then jumped out of the car and "scattered."

A subsequent search of the area, including with K-9, was unsuccessful, Pavey said.

The abandoned vehicle was searched, and police are still working on tracking down the suspects, she said.

The injured WinCo security officer declined medical attention at the scene, Pavey said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Robert LaHue at 749-4713 or rlahue@appealdemocrat.com