Ex-Alsip Top Cop Accused Of Shoplifting From Florida Walmart

ALSIP, IL —Alsip former top cop is accused of stealing merchandise from a Florida Walmart in an incident a former colleague called “out of character” for him. Christopher Radz, 59, who served for 32 years with the Alsip Police Department, is facing a theft charge in Sumter County, Florida.

The afternoon of Oct. 5, Radz was spotted in a Walmart in The Villages, Florida, putting items in a Walmart plastic bag, Sumter County Sheriff’s Police told the Villages News. Radz is accused of walking past all the checkouts and out the door, where he was stopped by loss prevention officers. Police said Radz did not initially want to make a statement to the arresting Sumter County sheriff’s deputy.

Chief Jay Miller, of the Alsip Police Department, said he was “surprised to hear” news of his former colleague’s arrest. Radz joined the police department in 1985 as a dispatcher, and rose through the ranks to police chief until his retirement in 2017.

“It’s out of character for the Chris I worked with for more than a decade," Miller said in a statement to Patch. "The actions described in the media are not representative of well-being, and I hope Chris is able to address any potential needs that may have arisen in the six years since his retirement while the courts in Florida ensure that justice is served."