Louisville store owner charged with kidnapping, assaulting alleged shoplifter granted work release

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville business owner was granted a work release after being arrested for allegedly kidnapping and beating a shoplifter who stole vape pens from his convenience store in the Algonquin neighborhood.

Kaushalkumar Patel, 40, appeared in court Friday in connection with the alleged incident that took placeOct. 6, 2024, at the E-Z Super Food Mart at 1100 Algonquin Parkway. The victim was allegedly spotted taking "a box of vapes" out of the store without paying for it.

The man then ran away on foot, with Patel and several others giving chase in a van. When they caught up to him, police said Patel jumped out of the van and "pepper sprayed the victim in the face."

The victim then reportedly crawled into a yard in the 800 block of Winkler Avenue where "he was stomped in the back by one of the co-defendants."

Police said Patel "pulled up the victim's shorts and sprayed victim's anus with pepper spray" before pulling him into the van. The victim was then taken to a garage not far from the E-Z Mart, where they continued to assault him, hitting him with closed fists and kicking and stomping on him before striking him with a piece of wood.

Court records say the victim was then put back into the van and driven to the 1500 block of Lee Street, where he was dropped off. The victim called his mother to pick him up. Court documents indicate he suffered contusions and bruising to his body, and needed stitches in his right shin.

Patel is charged with complicity to kidnapping, assault and wanton endangerment.

According to court documents, Patel paid his $75,000 bond and was granted work release at his Algonquin store.

His next court date is scheduled for the week of Feb. 24

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