Walgreens Medication Thief Arrested In New Lenox: PD

NEW LENOX, IL - While most of the village was sound asleep, someone stole more than $600 worth of medications from the Walgreens on Nelson Road. Fortunately for police, the store had a description of the shoplifting suspect and his getaway car. Minutes later, New Lenox Police spotted the car and backseat passenger Hector Tomas, 33, of Joliet's Theodore Street, was taken away in handcuffs, according to New Lenox Police.

The Will County State's Attorney has charged Tomas with retail theft, two counts of unlawful possession of controlled substance and one charge of possession of meth, less than 5 grams.
His total bail was set at $182,000.

New Lenox Deputy Police Chief Louis Alessandrini said that police officers also recovered the proceeds from a number of area CVS Pharmacy thefts. The deputy chief said it was his understanding that the CVS Pharmacy thefts were not in the New Lenox area.

At the time of his arrest early Tuesday morning, Tomas also had heroin in his possession and a small amount of meth was found in the car as well, police said.

Tomas was one of three people in the getaway car. He was riding in the backseat. The driver has not been charged with any crimes, New Lenox Police said.

Alessandrini credited the Walgreens for quickly alerting his department to the crime. Because there were so few cars on the road in New Lenox during the overnight hours of Tuesday, it was easy for the on-duty officers to locate the car, he said.

The car was pulled over at Route 30 and William Street. Tomas was booked into the county jail at 4:52 a.m.

Another person in the car, Christina Fontana, 30, of Bolingbrook, was also taken into custody because she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest out of Lake County, police said.

Fontana was also in the Will County Jail last month for a couple days in connection with an arrest on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia. Her total bail was set at $22,000, and she remains in custody on the Lake County police hold.

Mugshots of Hector Tomas and Christina Fontana via Will County Sheriff's Office