Police Blotter: Walmart Retail Thefts and Marijuana Possession Charged

TueSDAY, MARCH 1

Change Clothes and Go

Police said Akiah Washington, 18, of Chicago Heights, was charged with retail theft for taking $10.41 worth of items from Walmart. According to police reports, at about 1:38 p.m., Washington concealed a pair of socks, a T-shirt and a pair of panties in her purse while in the store, then went to the bathroom and exited wearing the T-shirt. Police said when they took Washington into custody, she admitted that she was wearing everything she concealed in her purse and had left the clothes she originally was wearing in the bathroom.

Jilted at the Cash Register

Police said that at about 4:14 p.m., a man was charged with retail theft for taking three items totaling $38.94 from Walmart after getting a little help from a woman who was with him. According to police reports, Ahmaad L. Vaughn, of Chicago, selected window dressings and wall art from the home department and concealed them in the purse of a female whom he was with. Police said the two walked around, but prior to getting in line at the cash register, the woman handed Vaughn the purse, and he attempted to leave the register, but was stopped by store security. The woman was not charged.

More Walmart Retail Thefts

According to police reports, Vivian L. Harris, 57, of Chicago, was charged with retail theft for taking 22 items valuing $191.94 from Walmart at 4:45 p.m. Police said store security saw Harris walk into the store and take multiple items from the women's clothing department, including a hand bag, then walk around the store taking assorted clothing, food and electronics items. Store security followed Harris around the store as she selected more items, placing them in the purse she walked into the store with, the hand bag she took from accessories, and a shopping cart, police said. Reports said Harris paid for the items in the cart, but not the items in the two purses. Police said they stopped Harris upon exiting the store.

Traffic Stop

Police found marijuana in an Alsip resident's car and discovered a slew of other offenses while conducting a routine traffic stop. According to reports, Justin J. Coenic, 20, was charged with improper display of license plates, no insurance, driving with a suspended license and possessing 4.2 grams of marijuana. Police said they found the marijuana between the driver's and passenger's seat in the front of the car.

More Walmart Retail Theft Charged

Police said Raul R. Sierra, 21, of Chicago, was charged with retail theft. According to reports, Sierra took a Griffin brand iPod charger valued at $54.88 from Walmart. Police said that at about 6:41 p.m., store security saw Sierra take the item from the counter, put it in his left-side jacket pocket and walk out of the store.

Traffic Stop Gone Wrong

Two men were charged with numerous offenses during a routine traffic stop at about 7:21 p.m. According to reports, James Williams, Jr., 38, of Chicago, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, a package containing small Ziplock bags used for packaging the marijuana. Ronny R. Whaley, 34, of Chicago, was charged with driving without a seat belt, no insurance, driving with a suspended driver's license, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana, police said.

According to police reports, police stopped Whaley for not wearing his seatbelt at the intersection of 95th Street and Fairfield Avenue. Police said that while talking to him, they smelled a strong marijuana odor. They located a 12-gram plastic bag containing 21 smaller bags of a substance that later tested positive for marijuana, police said.

Police Blotter information is provided by law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.