Joe's Hot Dogs Arrest: Joliet Man Who Often Causes Mischief And Mayhem Captured By Joliet Police Once Again

JOLIET, IL — Joe's Hot Dogs on Plainfield Road is one of the city's sacred businesses, but every once in a while, troublemakers show up at the iconic fast-food hot-dog business, often late at night. This week, the Joliet Police Department apprehended one of their most familiar faces, 41-year-old Michael Richter, who comes from the 200 block of East Cass Street.

According to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English, on July 7, at 9:52 a.m., officers responded to Joe's Hot Dogs at 810 Plainfield Road for a report of criminal damage to property after a glass door at the business was found damaged.

English revealed that a review of surveillance video allegedly showed a man approaching the business shortly before
9 p.m. on July 7, kicking the door, and then walking away.

Afterward, the Joliet police detectives opened their investigation, and the suspect was identified as Michael Richter, 41, homeless. From there, the detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging him with one count of criminal damage to property.

This week, the Joliet police caught their lucky break.

At 8:59 p.m. on Wednesday, the Joliet police officers spotted Richter near Black Road and Raynor Avenue and took him into custody without incident. Richter was processed and released
with a notice to appear in court.

As for Joe's Hot Dogs, the Joliet restaurant business remains for sale by the long-time third-generation owners. It's also worth pointing out that there has been other criminal activity targeting Joe's Hot Dogs within the past year.

Last December, Joliet Patch broke the news concerning the Joliet police arrest of Christopher Covelli of Joliet's 900 block of North Raynor Avenue, who was charged with eight new burglary crimes in Joliet and Crest Hill, including a crime to one of Joliet's most beloved restaurants, Joe's Hot Dogs.

According to the pretrial detention petition, Covelli already had six felony charges for burglaries happening in 2025 around Bolingbrook between June 17 and June 22. On Oct. 27, Covelli signed an agreement requesting admission to the Will County Mental Health Court system "for treatment of my mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and addiction to help with the aspects of my behavior that have led me to break the law ... I also understand that, if I do not comply, the court will sanction me."

As for Michael Richter, the most recent person arrested for causing damage to Joe's Hot Dogs, he has been kept inside the Will County Jail on four different occasions since last October. His Joe's Hot Dogs arrest did not result in a trip back to the jail.

Joliet Patch published a crime story about his previous antics in a 2020 story headlined: "MorningStar Mission Resident Attacked Joliet Police: Complaint."

Patch reported that the then-35-year-old homeless man from Joliet remained in the Will County Jail after prosecutors say he attacked several Joliet Police officers who suspected him of trespassing at a woman's apartment in the 200 block of North Hickory Street. Richter, who stays at the MorningStar Mission on East Washington Street, was charged with three counts of aggravated battery, as well as criminal trespass to a residence and resisting a peace officer.