Unruly customers fight at Mobil gas station

Birmingham police were called to a Mobile gas station twice in one week for belligerent and violent customers that assaulted employees and other customers.

Officers responded about 1:16 p.m. on Thursday, April 29, to the report of a retail fraud in progress. An employee at the gas station, 36200 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham, told police a bald man in an orange coat had been caught trying to steal some items. Afterward, the man tried to hit the employee, then ran out of the store.

Police were able to locate the man inside Birmingham's Greenwood Cemetery. Police said the man admitted during questioning that he attempted to steal two bottles of vodka but put them back when confronted by staff. The man said he left the store, and alleged an employee started chasing him.

While walking the man back to the patrol cars, officers said he saw the gas station employees and started screaming threats at them. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct.

Police were called to the gas station again on Sunday, May 2, at 8:56 p.m. for a fight among two groups of men where a 26-year-old from Dearborn Heights was taken to the hospital for treatment of a shoulder injury.

Police said he and another man had stopped at the gas station and were eating snacks in their vehicle when four men approached their vehicle and started yelling at them. One of the men then went to purchase more snacks, at which time the four men approached him and allegedly threatened him.

At that point, the victim got out and sprayed one of the men with pepper spray in the face, who then began beating the victim until the other men pulled him off and left the scene.

Police were able to make contact with one of the four men through his attorney.

The case is under investigation.