A repeat shoplifter is accused of walking out of a downtown Butler store wearing a hooded sweat shirt for which he had not paid.

But the defendant, Clayton C. Fredley, 27, of Butler, later told city police that what happened shortly before 2 p.m. on May 11 at the Cycle Warehouse on South Main Street was an accident.

Fredley claimed he was on the telephone with his public defender at the time, police said, and forgot he was still wearing the $40 item when he walked out.

Fredley, whose criminal history shows five prior shoplifting convictions, was arraigned on a felony count of retail theft and placed in Butler County Prison on $3,000 bail.

An employee recounted to police that a man came into the store, tried on the sweat shirt and “casually walked out” still wearing the item, according to court documents.

She said that he left in a car that was parked on West Cunningham Street. Police were provided a description of the car and license plate number.

Officers tracked the car to a Butler Township home where they found Fredley. He matched the employee's description of the shoplifter.

Fredley admitted being at the store, documents said, and told police that he “accidentally” walked out of the store with the sweat shirt.

He said his public defender “had just called him while he was on the phone,” according to a police affidavit, “so he walked outside and was going to meet him, ultimately forgetting that he had the hoodie still on.”

In Pennsylvania, retail theft is normally a summary or misdemeanor offense. But it is upgraded to a third-degree felony regardless of the stolen property's value when a suspect has at least two prior convictions for the same crime.

Fredley, under state law, faces a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison and a $15,000 fine, if convicted of the felony.

His preliminary hearing is May 21.