County Board Member's Daughter Busted for Theft

The daughter of Will County Board member Herbert Brooks Jr., who represents Joliet, is accused of stealing nearly $1,300 from the Joliet store where she works.

Megan J. Brooks, 22, took items from Target store shelves, scanned them as returned items and applied the credit to gift cards that she used to make purchases, Joliet Police Cmdr. Brian Benton said in a story published by the Joliet Herald-News.

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Cmdr. Brian Benton said Target officials caught Brooks taking items off the shelves of the Joliet Target store where she worked and then scanning them as returned items. He said she’d apply the credit to gift cards she used to make other purchases, including an American Express debit card. It happened between Dec. 6 and March 20.

Herbert Brooks, D-Joliet, said he originally heard the scheme involved another couple using coupons to buy hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise. He said his daughter denied knowing that couple.

Brooks was indicted in May but not arraigned until this week. A spokesman for the state’s attorney’s office said a special prosecutor will be sought to handle the case.