WOODSTOCK – A Woodstock man is facing felony charges for allegedly stealing a few hundred thousand dollars worth of breast pumps and accessories from Medela and selling them online.
Kristopher M. Kaecker, 30, 2073 Willow Brooke Drive, Apt. 2B, is accused of stealing the equipment from his employer and selling the goods and parts to out-of-state buyers through eBay. The retail value on the breast pumps and parts was more than $400,000, McHenry Deputy Chief of Police John Birk said.
"The theft was ongoing over a couple of months," Birk said.
Medela is located at 11011 Corporate Drive in McHenry. Representatives from the manufacturer did not immediately return requests for comment, saying in an email to the Northwest Herald that they "do not have any information to share on this matter at this time."
Birk said police were notified by a supervisor at Medela.
Kaecker was arrested Aug. 23, after investigators conducted a surveillance detail and caught him stealing the goods, Birk said.
He was charged with two counts each of theft and burglary. Each is a Class 2 felony, and if convicted, he faces between three to seven years in prison.
Kaecker posted $5,000 bond shortly after his arrest. His next court date is Sept. 24.
The investigation is ongoing.
