MMA Fighter Stops Crime, Slams Thief to Ground at Crestwood Schnucks

Jesse Finney, who is trained as a boxer and mixed martial arts fighter, stopped a shoplifter last week during a trip to the grocery store.

By Karlie Baker
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December 26, 2012

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Jesse Finney, owner of All In 1 Fitness on Watson Road, stopped a shoplifter at Schnucks on Dec. 21. Finney is trained in boxing and mixed martial arts. submitted by Finney's MMA

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Jesse Finney, owner of All In 1 Fitness on Watson Road, stopped a shoplifter at Schnucks on Dec. 21. Finney is trained in boxing and mixed martial arts.

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A man stealing bottles of vodka from a Crestwood grocery store probably didn't imagine a professional kickboxer and mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter would thwart him on his way out the door.

Jesse Finney said he headed to Schnucks in Crestwood around 7 p.m. on Dec. 21 to pick up some chocolate for his pregnant wife. As he neared the basket area, Finney noticed a female employee running after a man.

“I didn’t know if he had robbed the place, or if he’d assaulted somebody, I just saw her. He was pushing her off,” said Finney, who lives in Crestwood and owns Finney’s MMA/All In 1 Fitness.

Finney grabbed the man by the coat. When he resisted, Finney slammed him to the ground and subdued him in a hold until Crestwood police could arrive, Finney said.

As it turns out, the man had stashed several bottles of vodka before attempting to leave the store, Finney said. One of the bottles shoved in the man’s coat arm busted when he hit the ground.

The incident, which spanned just a few moments, was witnessed by a handful of other customers—as well as the seasonal bell-ringers at the store’s entrance, he said.

While Finney said he’d never intervened in this type of incident before, his actions weren’t a random act of bystander bravery. He's been trained as a professional boxer and MMA fighter, coached for Chuck Norris’ World Combat League, and was featured on Strikeforce on Showtime.

He also holds a kickboxing record of 23–0, a boxing record of 8–2, an amateur MMA record of 4-0, and a professional MMA record of 6–1.

Finney trains dozens of amateur and professional fighters in mixed martial arts, boxing, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu and wrestling at Finney’s MMA/All In 1 Fitness at 9744 Watson Road in Crestwood. The club also offers classes in yoga and zumba, a boot camp challenge and children's classes.

“In the martial arts, it teaches you discipline and respect. If I wasn’t disciplined, I probably would have hurt the guy," Finney said. "Instead, I took him down and a bottle broke in his jacket. That’s what we really try to focus on at the gym here in Crestwood.

"My wife was like, ‘What if he had had a gun?’ but at the end of the day, I just acted on instinct. I’m not going to let a man push a woman. It was pretty amazing, I was able to stop him, and nobody got hurt,” Finney said.

Frank Arnoldy, deputy chief of the Crestwood Police Department, said he couldn't offer comment on Wednesday until after he reviewed the police report.

A loss prevention specialist with Schnucks confirmed that a customer apprehended a suspected shoplifter at the store.

“We do not encourage this type of intervention from our customers,” Lori Willis said. “Customer safety and teammate safety is our top priority.”

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Related Topics: MMA, Shoplifting, and mixes martial arts

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Stephen D

5:43 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

awesome, looking forward to the mug shot

Adam D

6:02 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Never know who's watching

Ann Larson

6:19 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Way to go, Jesse! Crestwood's a safer place with you around. :-) Congrats on baby #2!

Dave and Ann Larson

Susie Wyatt

7:52 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Wow!That's our Coach! Great trainer and still a great martial artist...thanks for keeping our city safer...Go Jesse!

Sarah Flagg

10:57 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Love this! I'd feel safer in Crestwood with this guy around.

Becky

11:39 am on Thursday, December 27, 2012

My kids takes kickboxing and MMA at his gym. Very proud

Daniel Kearl

11:46 am on Thursday, December 27, 2012

We need a Jesse Finney in every school

Karlie Baker

2:29 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Jesse Finney isn't Crestwood's only martial arts instructor who did something cool this year--William Winkler opened up a billiards and darts bar near his studio in the Hillside Village Center: http://patch.com/A-yJrW

stef

5:16 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Helping catch a criminal and opening a bar are not even close to being in the same category thank you Mr Finney for your bravery!

Karin O'Very

9:21 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

I've known Jesse for years. Kickboxed at his gym. This doesn't surprise me, he's a stand up guy.

David Owens

9:25 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

That's was a smart move

Karlie Baker

8:04 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

If anyone wants to watch the FOX-2 broadcast with Finney that aired Friday, Dec. 28: http://patch.com/A-0DRC

Jesse Barnhart

1:09 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Amazing how companies and some LE agencies don't want people stepping in to help because they are concerned about safety. Good for Jesse Finney for stepping in to help; a man!

Mary Ann Sieli

1:42 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Wow that's amazing,I used to live out there in forestview apartments right by schnucks and shop almost every day,I'm so. Excited that he did that for my Schnucks that we lived by,my husband would've done the same thing,and my daughter is out there right now seeing her grandparents ,my husband was an amateur boxer and he done security,way to go Finney!!! :)

David Belk

3:08 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

His wife asked what if he had a gun. My question is, what are we as human beings supposed to do? Standby and watch this happen. I say, "Hell no!!!" Jesse you had a split second to react, great job. If the man could have ended your life and ran away you would have stood before your creator a hero the same as you are here. I consider an act of heroism as a no brainer. No I don't want to die as a martyr but I do believe we were created for a purpose and it is sure not to standby and watch some thief steal in front of us, kill innocent children in school, or any other act of stupidity that bruises the very soul of our society. Thank you for reaffirming my faith in humanity Jesse.

Philip Robinson

3:25 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Careful, Jesse. . . . some liberal might come along and say you violated the guy's rights, and that you should be charged with battery! You know,"their innocent until proven guilty" Personally I say "GOOD JOB!! Go find you another one!

Eddie

5:29 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

why does some blowhard come into the act and make it political? get lost Rush Limbaugh...

Jim Smith

4:02 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012

Is it worse for a man to push a woman than it is for him to push a smaller man? If you answered yes, congratulations: you're sexist! Congrats! Me, too!