Petaluma shoplifting suspect arrested after flashing knife

Running from a Petaluma store employee and waving a knife, a Santa Rosa man suspected of theft was arrested by Petaluma police after he was found hiding in a nearby restaurant bathroom, according to police.

Randall Hendry, 34, was attempting to take a Bluetooth speaker from Kohl’s department store on North McDowell Boulevard Monday evening when he was spotted by a security officer, Petaluma police Lt. Tim Lyons said Tuesday.

The employee chased after Hendry, who ran from the store. As the two ran, the suspect pulled out a knife and waved it at his pursuer, who was about 25 yards back, telling him to stop, Lyons said.

Police officers arrived at the eastside shopping center and found the suspect in a nearby restaurant. He had dropped the speaker but was carrying keys taken from the pocket of an employee at nearby Orchard Supply Hardware and was carrying a knife, Lyons said.

Hendry was arrested on suspicion of brandishing a weapon, resisting arrest, possessing the stolen keys, burglary and being a state parolee in violation of his jail probation.

Hendry remained in the Sonoma County Jail Tuesday, held without bail due to the probation violation.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.