Blame Chicago For Darien Retail Thefts?

DARIEN, IL – You may want to look elsewhere if you believe Chicago residents are to blame for many of the retail thefts at Darien's Walmart.

From January to October, Darien arrested 81 people on retail theft charges, nearly all of them at Walmart, according to local police.

Of those, Darien residents accounted for just three. Eight of the suspects came from Woodridge, five from Chicago and three each from Willowbrook, Romeoville and Naperville.

Most of the towns were far closer to other Walmarts.

The information was released by Police Chief Greg Thomas last month at a City Council meeting.

Mayor Joseph Marchese said the breakdown of suspects' hometowns reveals that most of them are not from Chicago.

"A lot of people say Chicago's crime is coming out here," Marchese said. "It didn't appear to be that way."