A nine-time shoplifter finds himself in trouble with the law allegedly for the same offense after Cranberry Township police said he tried taking more than $700 worth of merchandise Sunday from a Route 19 store.

The suspect, Christopher R. Vogel, 35, of Pittsburgh, tried to flee the Walmart, but township officers caught him shortly after 1 p.m., authorities said. He was allegedly found with suspected crystal methamphetamine.

Police said they were called to the store around 12:45 p.m. when a Walmart employee reported seeing the defendant remove spider security wraps on four electronic devices, which included gaming monitors. In all, the merchandise was valued at $735.

The employee told police that she initially stopped Vogel outside the store, but he fled, according to charging documents. Officers pulled up and saw the suspect, who was quickly nabbed.

Police said they searched him and turned up a Ziploc bag containing what appeared to be meth.

Documents noted that Vogel has nine prior shoplifting convictions. In Pennsylvania, while normally a summary or misdemeanor offense, retail theft is upgraded to a third-degree felony regardless of the stolen property's value when a defendant has at least two convictions for the same crime.

District Judge Bill O'Donnell arraigned the defendant on a felony charge of retail theft and a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance.

He is being held in the Butler County Prison on $5,000 bond as well as for a probation violation and a bench warrant out of Allegheny County, authorities said.

A preliminary hearing for Vogel is scheduled for March 5. Online court records did not list an attorney for him.