Cochrane RCMP are seeking the public's assistance in locating an elderly man involved in a grab and go incident.

RCMP Corporal Troy Savinkoff says the elderly man was caught on surveillance pulling into the Cochrane Walmart filling up a cart and trying to leave without paying.

"An older male was seen at the Walmart leaving a Dodge Caliber and then entering the Walmart, once inside he filled up a cart with several items and then left the Walmart without paying."

Cpl. Savinkoff says the suspect was approached by a loss prevention officer.

"When he was approached, he assaulted the loss prevention officer pushing them out of the way, and then ran away on foot and getting back into the Dodge Caliber"

Cpl. Savinkoff says although shoplifting is quite common in town it usually does not lead to anything physical.

"Walmart and other stores in the Town of Cochrane have pretty active loss prevention efforts being made and they do quite frequently detain individuals for shoplifting in which case we get involved and lay charges. It is pretty rare for an occurrence to happen where the suspect then pushes or assaults a loss prevention officer but they do catch people quite regularly committing these types of thefts."

The loss prevention officer was not injured in the incident.

If  you have any information regarding this case call the Cochrane Detachment at 403-851-8000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-22-8477.