On 11/21/2019 at approximately 1949hrs an Officer with the West Manchester Township Police Department received a call from York County Control for the report of a retail theft in progress.

Upon arrival, the Officer spoke with the Loss Prevention Officer at Kohl's department store. The LPO advised the Officer that he observed a black male who was approx. 6'-2", wearing a dark hoodie, blue jeans and a skull cap, later identified as Kwasi Bala Wharton, push a shopping cart into the "women's fitness" area of the store. The LPO observed Mr. Wharton take several items from the women's fitness area and place them in his cart.

The LPO advised he then observed Wharton push the cart with the women's items in it to the "men's fitness" area of the store.  The LPO advised that he observed Wharton take several items from the men's fitness area and place them in his cart. The LPO advised that he observed Wharton take an empty black "duffle bag" from the men's fitness area, place it in his cart and make his way to the fitting room.

Upon the Officer’s arrival to Kohl's department store, the LPO advised that Wharton was in the fitting room area and has been there for several minutes.

The Officer was able to observe on Kohl's surveillance cameras Wharton exit the fitting room area pushing a black Kohl's cart with a black duffle bag inside the carts holding area. The Officer observed Wharton walk around the store, what appeared to be aimlessly, for a few minutes before removing the full black duffle bag from the cart. Wharton was observed passing all points of sale without rendering payment of any item.

Officer’s from West Manchester Township PD whom were outside upon Wharton's exiting of Kohl's, utilized verbal commands to get Wharton on the ground and placed him in custody. The black duffle bag that Wharton was carrying contained all of the items that the LPO observed Wharton taking from the clothing racks in the women's fitness and men's fitness areas of the store.

Wharton was searched and a pair of diagonal cutting pliers with blue handles and gray steel cutting edge were located in his front right outer jacket pocket. Wharton was taken back into Kohl's to the loss prevention office. The cart that Wharton was pushing in the store was recovered and also taken to the office.

The shopping cart that was used by Wharton had numerous security tags laying in the bottom of the cart which had been cut from the clothing and the duffle bag. The total value of the items recovered from Wharton was $468.47.

Wharton's criminal history shows one prior retail theft conviction.

Based on the above information, Kwasi Bala Wharton, was charged with 1 count of Retail Theft (M1) on 11/22/2019.