Merchant Jailed Over Shoplifting ‘Lesson’

A shop owner upset at two 13-year-old boys he suspected of shoplifting is accused of driving them into the Cascade Mountains and leaving them there without socks, shoes or sweaters as temperatures dropped into the 30s.

John Whisenhunt, 25, was arrested Thursday and charged with kidnapping. He was being held on $100,000 bail.

Whisenhunt is accused of taking the boys from his compact disc store Wednesday and into the mountains after one of them allegedly stole a CD.

Later, Whisenhunt told one boy’s mother he would give her their shoes and clothing for $30, police said. She called police. The boys reached a rural home and called 911.