COLUMBUS – An East Side man is the latest example of what authorities call a “niche shoplifter,” a thief who narrows down his or her interest to very specific items, even showing preference for some brand names over others.
Cases have been documented where thieves have stolen only Crest White Strips, Downton Abbey DVDs, Red Bull energy drinks, Dyson vacuum cleaners, as well as high-end faucets, pick-up truck tailgates, hospital scrubs and red meat, says First Assistant Columbus City Prosecutor Bill Hedrick.
John Ferris Clark, whose last known address was on Beechwood Avenue, has been dubbed the “Cologne Cowboy” after being charged with stealing over $1,800 worth of men’s fragrances. Hedrick says he currently has five outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Court records indicate that Ferris, 53, initially stole $135 worth of grilling equipment from a Far East side supermarket on August 10, 2016, one day after being released from prison after serving nearly a year for felony theft, Hedrick said.
“He couldn’t even wait 24 hours after being released from prison to begin stealing again,” said Hedrick.
A week and a half later, Hedrick says Clark turned his attention to men’s eau de toilette products.
At approximately 8:00 p.m. on August 21 he allegedly stole 11 bottles of cologne, including Armani Black Code, Acqua Di Gio and Invictus men’s fragrances worth a total retail value of $715.88 from a Reynoldsburg area supermarket.
He appeared appeared at a Whitehall area supermarket a little more than a half hour later and stole six bottles of cologne, including Obsession for Men, worth a total retail value of $312.94.
At 10:36 p.m. Clark returned to the Reynoldsburg area store and stole four more bottles of cologne, including Ralph Lauren Polo Blue, worth a total retail value of $235.96.
The following day, Clark returned to the Whitehall area supermarket and stole nine more bottles of cologne worth a total retail value of $569.91.
“We may be dealing with some compulsive tendencies here, as Mr. Clark stole enough cologne over two days, including three times in a two-and-a-half hour time span, to last years,” Hedrick said.
Along with being a convicted serial thief with at least 17 prior theft charges against him, Hedrick says Clark’s past criminal record includes breaking and entering, felony receiving stolen property, felony drug possession, felony violation of probation, illegal possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespassing.
Anyone with information on John Ferris Clark is asked to contact Hedrick via email at brhedrick@columbus.gov or at 614-645-8874.