Cigarette Shoplifter Caught. Twice.

Newport Police charged a 41-year-old Newport man with shoplifting on Friday after he was caught stealing cigarettes from a city 7 Eleven.

Police said Carlton James Purdy, of 14 Fillmore St., went into the convenience store and stuffed packs of cigarettes into his pockets several times while the clerk wasn't looking.

The clerk finally did see Purdy reach over the counter and grab cigarettes and confronted him, thinking it was the one and only time a theft attempt was made, unaware that he had already reached over several other times.

Purdy reportedly paid for a coffee and gave back the last swipe of cigarettes and left the store.

Later, the clerk reviewed security video and saw Purdy had in fact stolen several packs of cigarettes before he was caught and gave back just the cigarettes that he was seen trying to steal.

Newport officers soon found Purdy outside a restaurant on Thames Street. He was wearing clothes that matched the person recorded on the store security camera. In his pockets, police said, were several packs of cigarettes that matched the brands the store clerk reported stolen.

Purdy was charged with shoplifting.