Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Maybe He Should Have Just Kept Smoking: Man Arrested in String of Nicotine Gum Thefts

nicotine-gum.jpg

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.

Quitting smoking isn't easy, but thankfully, once you put down the cancer sticks you can swap out your habit for a patch, one of those newfangled air cigs, or chew on some nicotine gum. Unfortunately for one Mission Viejo man, his gum habit was actually a shoplifting habit that has now found him arrested on multiple charges of theft, according to the OC Register.

37-year-old Nathan Sheridan is thought to be the gum-fiending mastermind behind at least five instances of the ol' five-fingered discount going down at an area Target store. Sheridan allegedly got himself a total of 10 boxes of nicotine gum, valued at $250, by "concealing the gum in his clothing and walking out of the store on at least five separate occasions since November." None of the merchandise was recovered.

Sheridan was arrested in late April after store surveillance logged in his license plate number. Records show he has a prior record that involves "three years of probation, restitution, and participation in several court-ordered recovery programs."

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today