NPD: Lockport Food Thief Stole Steaks At New Lenox Jewel

NEW LENOX, IL - A Will County judge has issued an arrest warrant for Jacob Bronzell, a previously convicted thief from Lockport. On Friday, the 49-year-old man was charged with felony retail theft. He's accused of stealing a bunch of meat from the Jewel store in New Lenox on East Laraway Road, back on Jan. 8. The criminal complaint states that Bronzell took the meat from Jewel "with the intention to deprive the merchant permanently of the possession, use or benefit of such merchandise."

Bronzell was previously convicted of retail theft in DuPage County, back in 2016, the complaint filed at the Will County Courthouse states.

New Lenox Deputy Chief of Police Louis Alessandrini told Patch that officers responded to the Jewel around 2 p.m. on Jan. 8. At that time, Jewel's loss prevention team notified New Lenox police that Bronzell stole two rib eye steaks and two lamb rib roasts, and he tried to leave the store without paying for the food, Alessandrini said.

Additionally, Bronzell was "known to be a repeat offender so they had an eye on him," Alessandrini said.

Although Jewel's security team tried capturing Bronzell, the Lockport man got away, police said. However, he dropped his identification card while running off from the store, Alessandrini said.

"We recovered (surveillance) video, and we could see the subject on the video matched the photo on the identification card."

A $10,000 bench warrant was issued Friday for Bronzell's arrest. Court documents indicate his last known address was in the 14600 block of Archer Avenue in Lockport.

File image via Shelby Patch