Suspect caught after struggle outside mall

Ventura police said they made an arrest after a theft suspect struggled with loss-prevention officers at a mall department store.

At 6:25 p.m. Saturday, police received a 911 call from a Macy's loss-prevention officer requesting assistance with an uncooperative shoplifter, according to authorities.

Officers responded to Pacific View mall at Main Street and Mills Road and found three Macy's loss-prevention officers and one mall security officer on the ground, struggling with someone outside a store exit, according to authorities.

Officers took the man into custody without incident and escorted him back into the store, police reported. Officers said his footwear — bright orange sandals — matched that of a theft suspect earlier in the day at Target who had never been caught. A Target employee was taken to Macy's, where the employee identified the detainee as the suspect from the earlier theft, police reported.

Police said they arrested Sean Velazquez, 37, with no permanent residence. He is on active parole for burglary and was arrested on suspicion of robbery and a parole hold, police reported. He accepted a misdemeanor citation for the earlier shoplifting at Target, police reported.