By Jim Clark

Police officers were dispatched to the Nike Outlet at Artisan Way last week for a shoplifting that had just occurred.

The suspect, later identified as Ralph Milord, of Hyde Park, had allegedly left the store wearing sports shoes that he had not paid for.

The officers searched the immediate area but could not locate Milord, so they went to the store and spoke with a loss prevention employee who reportedly stated that another employee had alerted him to a possible shoplifting.

The loss prevention employee reviewed the surveillance footage and reportedly observed Milord enter the store with red sports shoes. He then selected a box of shoes and later exited the store wearing white sports shoes.

Red sports shoes matching those seen in the video were reportedly found in the box that the stolen shoes were removed from. Video footage of Milord actually donning the stolen shoes, valued at $59.99, was not available.

Some time later, a police officer observed a male fitting the description of the suspect at Assembly Row. The officer then stopped the man, who was at that time identified as Milord.

During the stop, the officer observed an item protruding from Milord’s waistband. The officer asked Milord if he had any weapons on him and he reportedly stated that he did not.

The officer performed a pat frisk of Milord and recovered a hatchet. A further search of Milord’s person also turned up a knife.

Milord reportedly told police that he was a landscaper and he carried the hatchet for work. The responding officers observed that the fixed serrated blade of the knife appeared to be in excess of two and a half inches, which would constitute a violation of a Somerville ordinance that regulates dangerous weapons.

The officers asked Milord where he got the shoes he was wearing and he reportedly stated that he got them from Nike, and he believed they cost $59.99. He was the asked if he had paid for the shoes and he reportedly stated that he did not.

Milord was subsequently placed under arrest and booked on charges of violation of city ordinance possession of a dangerous weapon, shoplifting by asportation, and carrying a dangerous weapon.