Ex-Crest Hill Employee Stole Generators From Menards: Joliet PD

Joliet IL

14 February, 2022

3:30 PM

Description

JOLIET, IL — A former employee for Crest Hill was arrested Saturday afternoon at the Menards on West Jefferson Street after Joliet police say Brian M. Webb and Christopher Johnke stole power generators valued at more than $1,000. Webb, 40, and Johnke, 48, were booked into the Will County Jail on felony retail theft charges. Webb also had a warrant for his arrest, according to police. Webb was the subject of several Joliet Patch crime articles in 2018 and 2019 after he was accused of stealing several items belonging to Crest Hill including a sump pump, a space heater, a vaporizer and a garage door opener. Around 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Joliet police learned of a retail theft at the Menards on Jefferson Street. Joliet police arrested Christopher Johnke, 48, at the Menards on Saturday along with Brian M. Webb. Mugshot via Joliet police "Officers determined that Johnke and Webb had removed power generators, valued at over $1,000, from the store without paying ... they had placed the merchandise in a shopping cart and then pushed the cart out of the store, past the last point of sale without paying for the items," according to Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English. Menards employees and Joliet police talked to Johnke and Webb in the parking lot and that's where both Joliet men were arrested. Webb held an active Will County arrest warrant for failing to appear in court on traffic charges, according to police. After pleading guilty to theft, in November 2018, Webb was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and another $445 in court costs. He was also ordered to perform 30 hours of community service. He was given credit for two days of incarceration that he spent in the Will County Jail, on Feb. 23-24, 2018. Webb and Johnke were released from the Will County Jail on Sunday, logs show.