Man facing shoplifting, felony drug charges

A man accused of shoplifting at Kohl’s department store in Joplin picked up a felony drug charge as well Thursday afternoon when security employees reported seeing him attempt to discard some pills in his possession while being held for police.

Cpl. Chuck Niess of the Joplin Police Department said officers were called to the store at 301 S. Geneva Ave. after Fred Pickett, 30, 716 S. Summit Lane, allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying for some cologne. Store employees told police that Pickett had been observed previously taking two bedspreads from the store to a counter as return items and receiving a refund, Niess said.

While being held in the store’s office, Pickett allegedly attempted to discard a wrapper containing Pizanidine and Clonazepam pills behind a chair. Besides the misdemeanor shoplifting offense, the Jasper County prosecutor’s office charged Pickett on Friday with felony possession of a controlled substance.