- A 36-year-old claims eight or nine people beat him up after he tried to steal a car.
- Michael Prince says he was struck multiple times in the head with a hammer.
- In the past, Prince has boasted of stealing more than $1 million in merchandise.
Stories of crime and consequence often play out in unexpected ways, sometimes blurring the line between victim and offender. In Winnipeg, Canada, Michael Prince, a man with 17 convictions for property crimes, is now suing staff at Dino’s Grocery Mart for allegedly beating him after he tried to steal a car from the store’s parking lot. It’s a bizarre story that underscores how crime rarely works out the way its perpetrators intend.
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The incident occurred on February 26, 2024, when 36-year-old Prince reportedly entered the store and proceeded to steal a jacket with a wallet and a key fob. After heading home, police say Prince returned to the grocery shop 30 minutes later to steal the car.
A Failed Getaway
When he arrived on the scene, the suspect found the car in question had been boxed in by two other vehicles. Not dissuaded by this, he entered the car but triggered its alarm. It’s here when Prince claims that eight or nine staff members from Dino’s Grocery Mart started punching and kicking him repeatedly. At least one staffer reportedly struck Prince multiple times in the head with a hammer.
According to the lawsuit filed by Prince, “he suffers from constant fear, anxiety, apprehensiveness, depression and feelings of worthlessness as a result of the conduct of the defendants.” The claim names the store, its supervisor/owner/operator Rajan Varma and eight John or Jane Doe(s)” as defendants.
Prince claims he now suffers from permanent hearing and vision loss, insomnia, panic attacks, migraines, and cranial nerve damage as a result of the attack. He is suing for loss of opportunity to earn an income and “loss of enjoyment of life,” The Winnipeg Free Press reports.
In a statement of claim filed earlier this month in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench, Prince, through his lawyer, argued that “the amount of force used against him was far in excess of what was necessary to execute a citizen’s arrest or detain him pending the arrival of law enforcement personnel”.
A History of Theft
The 36-year-old has a long history with the law. In a prior incident, he was arrested for stealing $800 worth of e-cigarettes and in another case, he reportedly stole two large TVs from a store. He has also claimed to have been the head of a theft ring and says he’s stolen more than $1 million worth of merchandise over a nine-year period.
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