ST. LOUIS – A Northwoods police officer is on leave pending an investigation into allegedly beating up a suspected shoplifter.

The incident occurred just after 11 a.m. on Sept. 20, at the Walgreens store on Lafayette Avenue, in the Peabody-Darst-Webbe neighborhood.

Police claim Officer Thurmond Griffin was working as a security guard at the Walgreens when he caught a man stealing from the store.

Griffin attacked the alleged thief and beat the man up, according to police. Griffin allowed the man to leave before additional police arrived.

Northwoods Police Chief Dennis Shireff tells FOX 2 they have issued a summons to Griffin for a misdemeanor nuisance violation.

Over the summer, two other Northwoods police officers were charged with kidnapping for allegedly beating a shoplifting suspect and dumping the individual in an abandoned field on July 4.