A Union man is accused of shoplifting, lying and telling officers he was a juvenile, and then dropping a bag of cocaine in the public safety department conference room.

Jeremiah Antoine Sims, 20, of 122 Bird St., was charged Wednesday by the Union Public Safety Department with shoplifting, giving false information to police and trafficking crack cocaine.

A report said Officer Mark Gregory and Sgt. Jermaine Smith were called to Wal-Mart after the loss prevention officer said he caught Sims shoplifting — he put men’s boxer shorts and a Sony Play Station controller in his pants and then tried to leave the store.

Sims gave the loss prevention officer a false name, told him he was 14 years old and told him his mother was at work.

Gregory transported Sims to the public safety headquarters conference room to start paperwork necessary when a juvenile is arrested.

Sims then told Gregory he lived with an aunt on Bird Street. Sims was allowed to make a phone call, but he told Gregory he got no answer.

Smith went to Byrd Street to attempt to contact a parent or guardian for Sims, who had told officers his last name was Crawford.

Smith called Gregory on his police radio and asked him to give him a phone call. Gregory walked briefly out of the room to do so. He asked Cpl. Scott Farr to watch Sims.

Smith advised Gregory that he had talked with Sims’ mother, who told him her son’s correct name and age. Smith then came back to headquarters and both he and Gregory again asked Smith his name. He again told him his last name was Crawford.

Farr acquired the records that the city had on Sims, including a photo, and Sims was positively identified. Farr showed the information to Sims, he began to cry and told officers his correct name.

Smith noticed a white plastic bag lying under the table near Sims. He picked it up and found it contained what appeared to be a quantity of crack cocaine. Sims admitted the bag was his but said it was not crack. It will be sent for a drug analysis.

Sims is being held in the Union County Jail.

County drug arrest

Harry Lee Gore Jr., 19, of 4296 Lockhart Highway was charged Wednesday by the Union County Sheriff’s Office with distribution of marijuana.

A report said that on Dec. 5, Lt. John Sherfield provided an operative with $65. The operative went to Gore, told him he wanted 1/2 ounce of marijuana and Gore sold it to him.

Pit bull attack

A 58-year-old Tate Avenue woman told Deputy James Kershaw Wednesday that she was attacked by a pit bull while trying to protect her dog.

The victim said she was in the process of chaining her dogs when the pit bull jumped on one of them. She had her hand on her dog’s collar and the pit bull lunged toward her and clamped his mouth over her left arm. She fell, but got up and kicked the pit bull and he released her.

Animal control took possession of the dog. The woman was treated at Wallace Thomson Hospital. An investigation is continuing and charges may be filed against the pit bull’s owner.