Chicago man accused of stealing $1,700 worth of merchandise from Oak Brook Terrace Home Depot

A Chicago man has been accused of stealing about $1,700 worth of merchandise from an Oak Brook Terrace Home Depot store.

Pre-trial release was denied Wednesday for Timothy Wehmeyer, 42, of the 5100 block of Mayfield Avenue, who was charged with charged with one count of burglary, one count of retail theft and one count of misdemeanor obstructing identification, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.

The state’s motion to deny pre-trial release was based on the belief that Wehmeyer poses a high likelihood of willful flight to avoid prosecution, the release stated. Wehmeyer currently has an active warrant out of Crown Point, Indiana, for larceny, a pending retail theft case out of Cook County, and has failed to appear in court at least twelve times throughout his criminal history.

About 10:38 a.m. Nov. 7, Oak Brook Terrace police responded to a call of a retail theft in progress at the Home Depot located at 17W734 22nd St. Upon their arrival, officers took Wehmeyer into custody as he was attempting to flee the store, according to the release.

Wehmeyer allegedly entered the Home Depot, selected 25 cases of flooring valued at about $1,700 and walked toward the exit. He allegedly showed employees of Home Depot a fraudulent online flooring receipt dated Oct. 13 as he passed the checkout counter. When Wehmeyer was confronted at the door, he allegedly fled the scene leaving the merchandise behind. Wehmeyer allegedly provided a false driver’s license as identification when questioned by Oak Brook Terrace police officers, according to the release.

“As we get closer to the holiday shopping season, I warn anyone considering stealing from a DuPage County business that our law enforcement officers are well-trained and on the lookout for any suspicious behavior,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Retail theft, up $16 billion from 2021 to an estimated $112 billion in 2022, is a tremendous drain on our economy that leads to higher prices for consumers and ultimately lower sales.”

“The Oakbrook Terrace Police Department, in collaboration with our local retail establishments, are committed to combat retail theft and to ensure the safety of our community,” Oak Brook Terrace Chief of Police Casey Calvello said in the release. “This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by the Oakbrook Terrace Police Department to deter and prevent retail theft within the city. Retail theft not only affects businesses but can also have a significant impact on consumers through increased costs and reduced availability of products.”

Wehmeyer’s next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 21 for arraignment.