The owner of Joe’s Italian Cuisine, an Italian restaurant in Maryville, is charged with theft of merchandise after stealing thousands in meat from area grocery stores by putting it in his pants.

50 year-old Clement Milanzi was arrested at a Kroger on Northshore Drive on Thursday after he was seen selecting about $166 of merchandise and stuffing four steaks into his pants, according to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

He then went to the self-checkout and skipped scanning $107 worth of merchandise then left the store and was taken into custody.

KCSO detectives say similar thefts happened at other stores. The grocery stores reported a combined total loss exceeding $4,100.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on May 6th.