Police: Jeannette man threatened to stab state troopers after shoplifting arrest at Walmart

A Jeannette man angry after his arrest for shoplifting at a Walmart on Sunday threatened to stab police with a pen before troopers confiscated a knife hidden in his waistband, according to court documents.

Anthony M. Inks, 32, was arraigned Monday before Export District Judge Charles R. Conway on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, retail theft and terroristic threats.

Trooper Nathan McKeel reported he was called to the Summit Ridge Plaza Walmart in East Huntingdon at 10:37 a.m. for a report of Inks and a female companion arguing with multiple customers in the store.

When McKeel arrived, he found Inks in the men’s clothing area holding a Walmart bag containing multiple pieces of merchandise.

“I also observed Inks to have Walmart merchandise in his pants pockets,” McKeel wrote in court documents. “I asked Inks why he had unpaid merchandise inside his pants and Walmart bag. Inks related that is how he shops.”

Inks said he decided he was not going to buy anything and he had not done anything wrong. He started putting merchandise back on the shelves and McKeel said he questioned him about a “large object still in the waistband of his pants.”

Inks then pulled a cell phone case out of his pants that he had not purchased, McKeel reported.

When McKeel informed Inks he would have to sign an agreement with Walmart to stay out of that store, Inks became angry, refused to sign the papers “and told (state troopers) he was not going to jail.”

Inks refused to leave the store and was taken into custody, McKeel said. He attempted to stab troopers with a pen in his left hand and troopers seized a knife from his waistband.

McKeel said several other pieces of merchandise fell out of Inks’ pants as he was patted down.

As McKeel and Trooper Zachary Chamblee escorted a handcuffed Inks out of the store to a patrol car, “Inks related that he is bringing a firearm to his court hearing and stated, ‘I am going to use it for what guns are made to do’,” McKeel wrote.

The woman with Inks was not charged.

Inks was ordered held in the county prison pending a hearing April 1 before District Judge Charles Moore.