Jewelry store owner sentenced for shooting at thief in mall's parking lot

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·1 min read
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Mar. 28—WILKES-BARRE — A jewelry store owner inside the Wyoming Valley Mall who fired at least five rounds at a thief was sentenced to up to two years in Luzerne County's Intermediate Punishment Program.

Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. sentenced Michael Anthony Caruso, 28, of West Pittston, in the probationary program in addition to 25 hours of community service on charges of reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. Caruso pled guilty to the charges Jan. 22.

Wilkes-Barre Township police in court records say Caruso fired at least five rounds from a Glock 9mm at a thief in the parking lot outside JC Penney and Royal House Buffet on Feb. 24, 2023.

Caruso chased the thief who reportedly had stolen items from his store, court records say.

No injuries were reported but an unoccupied Dodge Journey was struck by a bullet.

Police in court records say the parking lot was congested with vehicles and pedestrians.

"It was a very stupid decision on my part," Caruso said in court. "I seen him reach in his waistband; at that moment I got scared. It happened in seconds."

Caruso's attorney, Mark Bufalino, said his client followed a thief and believed the thief was reaching for a weapon or a firearm as the incident happened in a split second.

Sklarosky said the value of jewelry is not worth someone getting injured or killed while imposing the sentence.