Home Depot worker, 83, dies from injuries he sustained after suspected thief shoved him to the floor

A Home Depot worker has died from his injuries six weeks after being shoved to the concrete floor by a serial shoplifter he tried to stop stealing three pressure washers worth $800.

Gary Rasor, 83, died on December 1 after he confronted the suspect at the store’s garden center on October 18. 

The grandfather put his arm out to stop the man from rolling away a cartful of shoplifted pressure washers. He was seen on surveillance footage being shoved to the floor by the thief, who was clad in a Calvin Klein hoodie and face mask. 

Mr. Rasor, who had worked at the Hillsborough, North Carolina, store for nine years, was in and out of the hospital in the weeks after the incident before being transferred to hospice care, where he celebrated his 83rd birthday.

His wife Yovone said that she and her husband had plans to retire, travel and meet their new grandchild for the first time before his death.

Gary Rasor (pictured) was shunted when he tried to confront the suspect in the Hillsborough store’s garden area on October 18

Leigh Bucholtz, Rasor’s stepdaughter, is urging anyone with information to contact the police before the suspect ‘hurts or kills someone else’.

Speaking to DailyMail.com she said: ‘What I want is for the attacker to be apprehended immediately. I want his face on every TV, in every newspaper, on billboards and social media until there is no place for him hide.

‘My first priority was Gary and his care but now that he’s passed my next priority and the best way to honor Gary is to catch his attacker.’

Mr. Rasor was left unable to walk and suffered a mild heart attack. 

Hillsborough Police confirmed his death was linked to the injuries he suffered during the incident.

Mr Rasor, 83, had worked at Home Depot for nine years when he was shoved to the concrete floor by a thief stealing a cart-load of pressure washers. The horrifying incident was caught on surveillance footage at the chain in North Carolina store 

Rasor, pictured in the hospital with his son Jeff, died on December 1 after being admitted  the day before Thanksgiving

His wife Yovone said that she and her husband, pictured, had plans to retire, travel and meet their new grandchild for the first time before his death

Yovone said that she and her husband thought that he would be able to recover from his injuries

A medical examiner has ruled that Mr. Rasor’s death was a homicide, and his wife Yovone told CBS 17 her husband recognized the shoplifter.

She said: ‘It’s just hard, and I know it sounds silly, but I’m still waiting for him to come back home.

‘He saw the video for the first time in the hospital, and he was very upbeat, and wasn’t worried about anything until he saw that video. He lost it… he just lost it.

‘He knows the guy is a thief. He’s been there,he’s seen him in the store before.

‘And what he told me was that sometimes the guy will buy one or two items so he has a receipt, and then he’ll add more stuff to his cart and flash the receipt.’

The couple had even bought plane tickets to visit family during the holidays and never gave up hope that he would recover from the multiple fractures.

One day before Thanksgiving, he was rushed to the ICU where he died a week later.

His son Jeff said: ‘It’s just beyond our comprehension that someone would do this for a couple of power washers… that just is mind-boggling.’ 

Mr. Rasor, 82, was working the outside station booth in what appears to be the garden area at a Hillsborough Home Depot when he noticed a man in a dark hoodie rolling a cart full of power tools

The suspect stole nearly $850 in merchandise after he threw Mr Rasor to the ground when he attempted to stop him leaving. The thief, who is yet to be caught, drove away in a Hyundai Sonata with a ‘blank’ temporary tag

Mr Rasor hit his head on a potted plant as he struck the ground. He passed away six weeks later from his injuries. Police are describing his death as a homicide

Hillsborough Police have branded the suspect a ‘menace to society’ and are urging anyone with information to contact them at 919 296 9562.

Investigators said the suspect captured in surveillance video fled the store in a white, four-door Hyundai Sonata with a North Carolina temporary tag that was ‘obscured from witnesses.’

A spokesman for Home Depot told Fox News: ‘We are heartbroken by the loss of our associate Gary. 

‘He was part of our team for more than nine years. He was an amazing friend, husband, father and grandfather, always willing to help anyone.

‘Right now, our top concern is supporting his family and our associates during this difficult time.’

The suspect rolled out what appeared to be stealing a Ryobi 1900 PSI Electric Pressure Washer, which retails for $179; a 2700 PSI Brushless Electric Pressure Washer, which retails for $419; and a 2000 PSI Electric Pressure Washer, which retails for $239. A total of $837.