Two area men have been charged with felony retail theft after allegedly stealing a Playstation 4 game system from the Flossmoor Meijer superstore.
Aaron J. Catledge, 20, of the 200 block of Rose Court in Glenwood and Laquan R. Kimble, 18, of the 17900 block of Huntleigh Court in Country Club Hills were arrested and charged on Aug. 3, said Flossmoor Police Sgt. James Hundley. The theft is considered a felony because of the value of the stolen merchandise, he said.
At the time of the theft, Catledge was a Meijer store employee.
The theft took place on July 30, according to a Flossmoor police report.
A man, later identified as Kimble, came to the store’s electronics department and told the clerk he wanted to buy a Playstation 4. Those game systems are stored in a locked cabinet and purchased in the electronics area, Hundley said.
After the clerk took the Playstation from the cabinet, the man said he was going to do some additional shopping and asked her to put the game system under the counter until he returned. She did what he asked.
A few minutes later, the clerk stepped away from the counter. According to the police report, a Meijer security camera took video of Catledge – who did not work in the electronics department – coming to that area and looking behind the counter. The camera then recorded the shopper going behind the counter and removing the Playstation.
The security camera showed Catledge and Kimble walking together to the store exits, Hundley said. A photo with the police report showed Kimble carrying the game system. Catledge and Kimble left the store by separate exits, he said.
Hundley said Catledge’s shift at the store had just ended.
Meijer security personnel contacted Flossmoor police when the electronics clerk returned to the counter and discovered that the Playstation was missing. A review of the security camera feed showed Catledge and Kimble together. Hundley said Meijer personnel identified Kimble as someone who’d been previously seen in the store with Catledge.
Catledge was arrested at the store and Kimble was arrested at his home, Hundley said.
According to the police report, the Playstation 4 was valued at $349.99.
In an Aug. 4 appearance at the Markham court, Cook County Judge Darren Bowdon issued an I-bond for Catledge and Kimble and they were released from custody, said a spokeswoman for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. Their next court appearance is Sept. 7 in Markham.