Heroin Possession and Retail Theft: Blotter

TUESDAY, JAN. 19

Felony Theft

Frederick Collins, 54, of the 500 block of Forsythe Avenue, Calumet City, was arrested and charged with felony theft after being accused of stealing $15 from an open cash register, according to Homewood police reports.

A closed-circuit video at Duo’s Nearly Nu Shop, 2015 Ridge Road, showed Collins reaching over the store’s front glass counter, reaching into the open cash register drawer and taking three $5 bills, the report stated.

Charges were upgraded to a felony after police discovered Collins had a prior burglary conviction.

MONDAY, JAN. 18

Retail Theft, Possession of Controlled Substance

Benjamin Hayes, 36, of the 1000 block of 104th Street, Chicago, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and retail theft after being accused of trying to shoplift two bottles of vodka from Jewel, according to Homewood police reports.

The store’s loss prevention agent told police he saw Hayes stuff two 750 ml bottles of Effen Vodka into his pants and then go through the store checkout to buy an 11-cent plastic store bag, the report stated.

Once in custody, police found two clear plastic bags filled with 2 grams of a white, powdery substance in the left pocket of Hayes’ jacket, the report stated. The substance field tested as heroin, the report added.

FRIDAY, JAN. 15

Retail Theft

Darrell Epting, 18, of East 12th Street, Chicago Heights, was arrested and charged with retail theft after being accused of shoplifting more than $100 from Kohl’s, according to Homewood police reports.

A loss prevention agent at the store, 17620 S. Halsted St., told police he asw Epting put a Chicago Bulls jersey down his pants, the report stated. He then put a Nike sweatshirt on under his clothing and tried to leave the store, the report added.

The merchandise totaled $105.

Police Blotter information is provided by local law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.