Video shows pregnant clerk wrestling AC unit away from suspected shoplifter in Palmdale

PALMDALE, Calif. (KABC) -- Surveillance video captured the moment a four-month pregnant hardware store employee confronted a man who allegedly tried to run out of a Palmdale store with a 46-pound air-conditioning unit without paying.

The confrontation began inside the Ace Hardware store at Rancho Vista Plaza and spilled into the parking lot and street.

“Anything they can steal, they will steal, but this is like a weekly thing that they do,” store manager Carlos Morales said.

According to Morales, who was not present during the attempted theft, employees noticed two people enter the store, including one person carrying a large bag.

“There’s always like two: one that talks to the clerks around, and the other one that grabs,” Morales said.

Video shows a man in a blue shirt taking the air-conditioning unit from a shelf and walking briskly through the store toward the exit. An employee intently watching him from the registers then springs into action, following him outside.

“As he was running, he actually tripped,” Morales said.

The pregnant employee caught up with the man and wrestled the unit from his grasp as he attempted to put it into a van, the video shows.

“When I asked her why she did it, she said she acted on instinct,” Morales said.

The employee has worked at the store since it opened six months ago, according to Morales. He said the store has experienced increasing theft each month, prompting heightened security measures.

“This is all new because they just keep coming and grabbing,” Morales said, pointing to an aisle of merchandise kept behind lock and key.

Although the employee faced criticism for putting herself at risk, Morales said he wanted people to understand how much he appreciated her hard work.

“Evil will always prevail when good people do nothing,” Morales said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is still looking for the duo responsible for the attempted theft. Unfortunately, there were no plates on the van.