Man also allegedly tried to get store security in on the plan
Some criminals go for cash, copper wire, electronics, fancy jewelry.
But Jimmie Lane Jr.? Police say his tastes ran more toward boneless beef tenderloin.
Court documents also suggest the 58-year-old is a meathead bandit.
About 8 p.m. March 23, police were called to the QFC in the 400 block of 15th Avenue East where employees said an unknown man was loading boxes of frozen meat into a blue Saturn.
As officers were en route, an employee called back saying store security was struggling with the suspect, later identified as Lane.
Police arrived and found his car backed to the loading dock on the northeast side of the store. The rear hatchback was open. A large box of beef was in the trunk, investigators said.
"Four more boxes of meat were seen sitting on the edge of the loading dock," Officer Daniel Auderer wrote in his report. "A pair of red bolt cutters was lying on the ground near the vehicle. A few feet from the bolt cutters was a screwdriver with a wooden handle also lying on the ground."
Court documents say the meat Lane allegedly tried to steal was worth $5,637,54.
A QFC employee first noticed Lane about 7:30 p.m. in the store's stockroom. He said he was looking for the bathroom.
Police believe at some point, he tried to cut the chain that operated the roll-up door from the loading dock to the stockroom.
That is, security guards told police, until he realized the loading dock door wasn't locked.
Lane allegedly asked the guard if he was an officer. The man said no, so Lane asked him to help carry boxes, saying he would "cut him in on the deal," according to investigators.
The man helped in what appeared to be an attempt to gather evidence. After loading beef into the blue Saturn, the security guard told police he showed his badge and identified himself to Lane.
"When I tried to stop him," the man told police, "he tried to stab me with a screwdriver."
Lane tried to flee with a box of meat in his trunk, but another security guard opened the passenger side of his Saturn, struggled with Lane and handcuffed him, according to the report.
It was time to stick a fork in him. He was done.
Police said store security video shows Lane going into the back of QFC with bolt cutters after his car was parked by the loading dock. He's also allegedly shown stealing tenderloin twice from the frozen meat locker.
Prosecutors said he's a flight risk -- Lane has had 104 warrants since 1985.
His history includes convictions for vehicle theft, three burglary cases, three theft cases, possession of stolen property, forgery, DUI and unlawful issuance of bank checks. Lane also has a pending first-degree theft case in King County Superior Court and a third-degree theft case.
While being transported to King County Jail, Lane admitted to stealing the beef, but denied trying to stab the security officer, police said.
In lieu of $101,00 bail, he remains in jail, where staff Capt. Troy Bacon said Lane will receive sack lunches and other meals.
"Inmates are served a variety of food," he said. "But it won't be steak, let me tell you that."
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