'Doughnut assault'

Oct 9 2007

An American man accused of stealing a doughnut could face 30 years in jail, US authorities have said.

Scott Masters, 41, is accused of putting the doughnut into his sweatshirt without paying, then pushing away a clerk who tried to stop him as he fled the store in Farmington, Minnesota.

Authorities said the push was being treated as minor assault, which transforms a shoplifting charge into strong-arm robbery, with a potential prison term of five to 15 years. Prosecutors could seek 30 years because Masters has a criminal record.