(Jul. 22)

A man who fled a California Home Depot with stolen merchandise was met by uncooperative friends and a locked getaway car, according to a report by the Turlock Police Department.

The incident happened just before noon on July 19 inside a Home Depot in Turlock, Calif., 60 miles east of San Jose. Store security tried to stop a suspect who stole some merchandise, the report said, but the suspect fled the store after punching an employee. He ran to a car in the parking lot where his friends were waiting.

"[They] had no idea this was going on," a Turlock police spokesman told Home Channel News. "But they saw that loss prevention was hot on his trail."

The friends then locked the car doors and refused to leave the parking lot. The suspect fled on foot.

No arrests have been made, but the police have identified a "person of interest" after interviewing the people in the car. "There's more follow-up to be done," the spokesman said.