Carson's Nabs Indiana Woman Trying To Rip Off Joliet Store: Police

JOLIET, IL - A 48-year-old woman who lives in Indiana made a trip to Joliet that she won't be forgetting. Late Friday afternoon, Joliet police officers responded to the Louis Joliet Mall where loss prevention officers employed at the Joliet Carson's retail store had already detained Artisha Julkes of Hammond. As of Monday morning, Julkes still remained lodged in the Will County Adult Detention Facility. She remains unable to come up with 10 percent of her $5,000 bond. She faces a felony retail theft charge.

According to Joliet Deputy Chief of Police Ed Gregory, Julkes and three other women were inside the Carson's store when loss prevention officers noticed them pushing a cart of merchandise into one of the fitting rooms. Minutes later, Julkes reemerged from the fitting room carrying several shopping bags of clothes and then she tried to walk out of the store, according to Joliet police. That's when the loss prevention team was able to nab Julkes just as she left Carson's. The other three women got away, Gregory said.

At any rate, Joliet officers were called to the mall. Police determined that Julkes tried to steal about two dozen articles of men's clothes, mostly jeans and ties, according to Gregory. The stolen merchandise was worth about $600, he added.

At first, Julkes tried to give the loss prevention officers from Carson's a false name, Gregory said, however, Joliet police were able to obtain her Indiana identification card and determine her real identity, he said.

All of the stolen merchandise in Julkes' possession was recovered, Gregory said. However, he said that it was unclear whether the three other women who accompanied Julkes into the store were able to steal any store merchandise.

Booking mugshot of Artisha Julkes via Will County Sheriff's Department