The Wrenches Under His Coat

In the hardware section of a self-service store, a shopper was seen tucking a set of wrenches under his clothing. He then walked toward the exit, passing several cash registers without paying. A guard stopped him about three feet from the door. At trial he denied hiding the wrenches and said he had been waiting in a checkout line. On appeal the question was whether a shopper can be guilty of larceny at all when he is caught with the goods while still inside the store.