A Columbus man was arrested on several drug and theft charges Friday evening. Officer Alyson Rech, Columbus Police Department spokeswoman, says that officers were dispatched to Fair Oaks Mall at 6:45 p.m. on a report of a shoplifter. Police spoke with the suspect, 34-year-old William E. Smith, outside of the mall. Mall security and a store employee told police that they saw Smith place a pair of shoes inside his backpack, then leave without paying for them. During the investigation, officers reported finding several items on Smith that had been stolen from other stores inside the mall. After Smith was taken into custody, officers allegedly found a syringe, methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe inside of Smith’s backpack.

Smith was arrested on preliminary charges of Theft, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Legend Drug Injection Device and Possession of a Legend Drug Smoking Device.