A couple walking their toddler in a stroller Monday night were arrested as suspects in a beer heist at a Greeley liquor store.
The incident happened at about 10 p.m. Monday in the 2300 block of 27th Street, said Sgt. Joe Tymko wych, a Greeley Police Department spokesman.
Tymkowych said police received a call about a man and woman on the street in some type of a disturbance.
A short time later, they received a call about a theft at Booze Brothers liquor store, 2321 W. 27th St., Tymko wych said.
A man entered the store, picked up a “suitcase” of beer and threatened the female clerk, Tymkowych said.
According to police, the beer robber told the clerk: “I have a friend out in the parking lot with a gun. If you do anything to stop me, she’s going to shoot you.”
The man walked out of the store without paying for the 18-pack, Tymkowych said. “She (the clerk) wasn’t going to stop him for $12 worth of beer,” he said.
The clerk did, however, call police.
Officers arrived in short order and stopped a man to talk to him about the beer theft.
Another officer arrived and stopped a woman pushing a baby carriage to speak to her, Tymkowych said. While talking with the woman, the officer noted that the child wasn’t properly dressed — he wasn’t wearing socks or shoes against the cold night air. The temperature was 26 degrees, with a wind chill of 14.
The woman and the child were put in a patrol car to stay warm.
Meanwhile, the clerk from the store was called down the block and positively identified the man police stopped as the beer thief.
Police did a background check on the woman and found she was wanted for violating a restraining order, Tymkowych said.
As officers folded the baby stroller to put it into the trunk of a patrol car, the stolen beer was discovered, Tymkowych said.
Police identified the beer-theft suspect as Eric Robert Barcklow, 32, and the woman as his wife, Melissa Barcklow, 28, of Evans.
Eric Barcklow was arrested on suspicion of theft. Melissa Barcklow was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and accessory to theft, Tymkowych said.
They are both being held in the Weld County Jail. Their 18-month- old son was placed with social services, Tymkowych said.
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com
