Man arrested after escaping security officers with a stolen car in Niagara on the Lake

Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a man after he escaped security officers at a mall in Niagara on the Lake a day earlier.

Niagara Police investigations say security officers at the Outlet Collection Mall received an alert about a man on the property committing criminal acts on Tuesday.

Security officers located the man and placed him under arrest, but a struggle began and he was able to run away from them.

He ran through the parking lot and tried opening a number of parked cars until he came across a parked Mercedes with a female driver inside.

Police say he threatened her with a knife but she was able to get away without being injured.

Police also say the man attempted to injure another member of the public who was helping security officers try to contain the man in the car.

The man drove off in the Mercedes, damaging it while exiting the parking lot.

After the incident, another member of the public reported his credit cards were stolen from his car and used at the Outlet Collection by the same suspect.

The man was still operating the same Mercedes when he was arrested the following day.

OPP arrested 28-year-old Michael Leroy Barrett on Highway 401 in the London area Wednesday.

Barrett faces several charges from both the Niagara Regional Police and the OPP including:

• Theft under $5000
• Resist arrest
• Assault with a weapon (3 counts)
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle
• Dangerous driving
• Impaired operation by drug