Joliet Menards Burglary: 2 Sought By Joliet PD

JOLIET, IL — A month-long Joliet Police Department criminal investigation of a burglary at the Menards store on West Jefferson Street has resulted in charges against a man and a woman who are from Florida.

Will County Judge Sarah Jones signed a bench warrant last week seeking the arrests of Alexandria Marie Peterson, 32, of Largo, Fla., and Zachary Austin Tyler Rivers, 30, of Port Richey, Fla.

The two are charged with one count of burglary and two counts of retail theft.

Joliet Police Detective Brad McKeon issued the criminal complaint, court files show. According to the complaint, Peterson and Rivers entered the Menards at 2524 W. Jefferson St. on Aug. 5 with intent to commit a theft. Rivers, the complaint indicates, was convicted of committing a burglary in 2017 in Pasco County.

On Aug. 5, Rivers and Peterson took "Leatherman tools ... without paying the full retail value of the property" from the Menards in Joliet, the complaint indicates.

Judge Jones has set bail at $50,000 for Peterson and Rivers. That means each of them will need to come up with $5,000 in order to regain their release from Will County's custody.

As of Sunday, Sept. 13, neither of the Florida co-defendants had been taken into the Joliet police's custody.