Being that I used to be a full time mall security officer (during my 20's), I've witnessed many shoplifter chases & have been involved in a few. Most of the time, I would sit back & observe (that's what we were supposed to do).
One of the major stores most people would steal Tommy Hilfiger clothes from was Parisian (which was owned by Sak's Fifth Avenue at the time). I was patrolling in the security vehicle & loss prevention radioed us, stating that a shoplifter was running out of the store & went across the road, technically off of mall property. I got onto the road, sped up a little got along side him, while we were on a small bridge. There was a road immediately after the bridge on the right. I got just ahead of him & turned onto that road & timed it perfectly. The shoplifter was looking behind him, slammed into the side of the security vehicle I was driving, started reeling backwards, & that gave the loss prevention guy enough time to catch up & tackle him. It took me, another officer, the loss prevention officer, & a bystander to help subdue him. Once he was handcuffed, another loss prevention guy pulled up in his pickup truck. I helped him into that back of the pickup, & drove back to Parisian. By that time one of the Mobile Police officers got there & noticed that the shoplifter was very tuckered out. The officer asked if I ran him over. I said "No. He ran into me."
Looking back on that, if my timing had been off, I could have severely injured or killed him. I'm just glad that no one got hurt.