To catch a thief

Kent Politsch, technology sales supervisor at KU Bookstores, runs with his dog in this photo taken in 2001. An avid runner, Politsch this month chased and caught a shoplifter who had run from the Kansas Union bookstore and hidden in the tunnel between the Union and the Memorial Stadium parking lot. File photo/University Relations

By Andrea Albright

KU Bookstore supervisor Kent Politsch put his running shoes to good use on Feb. 3 when he chased down a shoplifter.

Politsch, who is technology sales supervisor at the Kansas Union bookstore, said he heard someone running past his office at about 10:30 that morning.

Following right behind was a salesperson yelling, “Stop that man!”

“I didn’t really think too much about it,” Politsch recalled earlier this week. “Running was mostly just a reaction.”

When Politsch got to the southwest exit near the Union’s loading dock, he could see the man was already headed across the street past the Spencer Museum of Art.

Despite the thief’s 75-yard head start, Politsch assessed the situation and decided to make chase.
“He had on a really big backpack,” Politsch said. “I thought I could catch him.”

Politsch ran after the man and followed him into the tunnel leading from the parking lot near Memorial stadium back to the union.

Once inside, Politsch expected to hear the echoes of someone running.

Instead he found silence.

“It was dark and quiet and a little eerie,” he said. “I found him hidden behind a Coke machine.”

Politsch told the man the chase was over and walked him outside.

It was then that the suspect physically resisted, throwing a punch.

Nearby students who initially tried to break up the skirmish called the police.

Investigators found that the man was wearing several jackets that belonged to the bookstore as well as items in his backpack. Politsch said the inventory was valued at nearly $200.

Thinking back, Politsch said he’s not sure chasing the suspect was the best idea, but he’s glad the outcome was positive.

“The bookstore was lucky that he wasn’t a good shoplifter and I was lucky that he wasn’t a good batterer,” he said. “We were lucky it was OK.”