$1.1K In Alcohol Stolen From Plainfield Grocery Store: Police

PLAINFIELD, IL — A Chicago man was taken into custody Feb. 1, a week after he was caught on surveillance video stealing more than $1,000 worth of liquor from Jewel on South Route 59 in Plainfield, police said.

Brandon Gardner, 33, was charged with burglary, retail theft and restricting or obstructing a peace officer — all felonies — following an investigation into the Jan. 25 incident. The incident was listed in Plainfield police's Feb. 15 blotter.

A surveillance camera captured a suspect, later identified as Gardner, at about 8:15 p.m. Jan. 25 loading several bottles of alcohol into a shopping cart and pushing it out of the store without attempting to pay for the merchandise, Commander Anthony Novak told Patch.

Officers were dispatched to Jewel at about 9:41 a.m. Jan. 30 to investigate the theft valued at $1,109.76. Novak said investigators had more than 10 other incidents on file involving the same suspect, identified as Gardner, of the 3900 block of West Polk Street in Chicago.

The man was also wanted on several outstanding arrest warrants, according to Novak.

At about 6 p.m. Feb. 1, police conducted surveillance at Jewel. When Gardner walked in, police approached him and placed him under arrest before he fled, leading police on a short foot chase before he was apprehended, Novak said.

Gardner had two court dates on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 and was released from the Will County jail on Feb. 6.