He Keeps Stealing Beer From West Jefferson Business, Joliet Police Make Arrest At BP Station: Cops

JOLIET, IL —For the fourth time since February 2025, 37-year-old Joliet transient Christopher Wessels finds himself in the Will County Jail. His latest arrest happened Wednesday night at one of the Joliet businesses that sells packaged liquor on West Jefferson Street.

According to police spokesman Tizoc Landeros, Wessels was put into the Will County Jail on charges of felony retail theft, criminal trespass and violation of pretrial release.

At 10 p.m., Joliet officers were dispatched to a retailer in the 2100 block of West Jefferson Street for a retail theft in progress; the thief had left the store with a package of beer without paying for it.

Landeros said the officers located Wessels nearby, matching the description provided by store personnel. Officers also located the stolen merchandise near Wessels. Joliet police arrest logs indicated that the arrest happened in the 1900 block of Jefferson at the BP Gas Station property along Hammes Avenue.

According to Landeros, Wessels had previously been trespassed from the retailer due to prior incidents. Wessels was taken into custody and transported to the Joliet Police Booking area. During the investigation, officers learned that Wessels had several prior theft convictions. Officers also determined that Wessels was on pretrial release, which prohibited him from having contact with the retailer and from violating any criminal statute, the arrest report showed.

Wessels was processed and subsequently transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility without further incident.

Joliet Patch has produced other crime stories about Wessels being captured by the Joliet police in recent years including one from two days before Christmas in 2024 headlined, "Sleeping In Thorntons Bathroom, Man Stirs Trouble For Joliet PD: Cops."