Man Stealing and Assaulting at Rt. 9 Supermarkets, Says Police

A Hudson Valley man is in custody after police say he has targeted Hudson Valley supermarkets.

On July 26 just after 10am, Town of Poughkeepsie Police responded to reports of a possible assault at a Town of Poughkeepsie ShopRite. While approaching the supermarket, authorities were alerted that the suspect had fled the location on foot.

The ShopRite, located across from Marist College, opened in October of 2021 and is the anchor of the new Hudson Heritage complex that includes other retailers and restaurants. Police say the suspect was attempting to shoplift at the supermarket when he assaulted a worker, but this was not the only grocery store that was targeted.

After chasing down the suspect, police say they identified him as Shayne Bates. Bates allegedly struck a ShopRite employee and caused "serious physical injury" while the worker was attempting to stop him from stealing merchandise.

During an investigation into the incident, police say they discovered that Bates had also targeted the Stop and Shop store Route 9 in Poughkeepsie near the Poughkeepsie Plaza. Police say Bates stole over $1,400 worth of merchandise from Stop and Shop just days earlier.

After being apprehended by police, Bates was charged with three felony counts for Robbery in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second Degree and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree. Bates was also processed for two outstanding warrents from previous petit larceny cases.

It's unclear what the condition of the ShopRite employee currently is, but they were treated for injuries at a local hospital after the alleged attack.