Gum thief faces robbery charges by; Rick McCann www.privateofficer.com

Staten Island N.Y. Nov. 18, 2007

A Staten Island man went wholesale shoplifting at a CVS in Great Kills yesterday, walking out of the store with over 100 packs of gum stuffed down his pants, police said.
But his half-witted crime took a serious turn when he pulled a steak knife on a pair of employees who followed him into the parking lot, then led police on a chase down Arthur Kill Road, and into a shed in the backyard of a Brookfield Avenue home, according to court documents.
Now, instead of just petit larceny, 34-year-old Esh McIntosh, a Stapleton resident, faces a first- degree robbery charge — which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. McIntosh was also charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal trespass and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
According to criminal records, McIntosh has no recent arrests in Staten Island, and would have likely been facing a fine and probation had he just admitted to a shoplifting charge.
Police sources said they are also stumped by the crime.
“What exactly was he going to do with all that gum, anyway? That’s a lot of chewing,” one said.

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