A Toronto storekeeper will learn Friday whether a judge sees his citizen's arrest of a shoplifter as criminal or not.

The trial judge reserved his decision Monday after hearing closing arguments from the Crown and defence in the case of David Chen, who said he can't wait for the trial to end.

"It's really hurt my business, my family. I just want it to go away," Chen said outside court.

Chen has been on trial on charges of assault and forcible confinement stemming from an incident that occurred in May 2009.

Anthony Bennett stole $70 worth of flowers from Chen's Dundas Street West store, then returned an hour later.

Court has heard Chen, 37, and two other men chased Bennett down, captured him, tied him up and held him in the back of a van until police arrived.

Evidence was presented that Chen had previously had to wait hours before police would show up.

According to the letter of the law, a citizen's arrest must be carried out at the time of the offence.

Peter Lindsay, Chen's lawyer, told court that his grocer client did not act any different than how a mall security guard might respond in the same situation.

He said his client used measured force.

Crown prosecutor Eugene McDermott argued that no citizen is allowed to accost another person, tied them up and hold them in the back of a van.

In an ironic twist, Bennett was also in court Monday.

Police arrested him earlier this month. He is facing charges of stealing from a grocery story.

Bennett was remanded in custody.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney