A Redwood City man accused of shoplifting $672 worth of tools from the San Carlos Home Depot and for threatening employees with a knife when confronted dropped his U.S. passport, his Oregon birth certificate and his cellphone during his getaway, according to prosecutors.
The identifying items helped authorities track Eric David Mills down on May 17, when a San Mateo County sheriff’s deputy saw Mills in a car on 5th Avenue in Redwood City, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office. The car was stopped, the arrest was made, and now Mills is facing a three strikes case in connection with burglaries in 2002 and 2016.
Mills, 36, is set to appear today for a preliminary hearing on a felony and misdemeanor charge related to the Home Depot heist.
Prosecutors say two loss prevention officers chased after him after he left the store without paying.
“The defendant tried to run away but eventually turned, dropped the tools and took a fighting stance,” Mills said. “He then took off running to his car, which was parked in the store lot; at his car defendant pulled out a pocket knife and threatened the LPOs, saying he was going to come back for them since he knew where they worked.”
Mills remains in custody on $500,000 bail.
