Chicago man struck Joliet CVS employee with bag of stolen merchandise: cops

A Chicago man was accused of battering a CVS employee in Joliet who tried to stop him from stealing merchandise and attempting to fight a customer who tried to intervene, police said.

At 7:41 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to CVS, 809 Plainfield Road, for a disturbance and learned John Thurman, 43, of Chicago was suspected of stealing a large number of beauty products from the store, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said.

Thurman was seen placing merchandise in a bag and was approached by a store employee, English said.

Thurman threw a bag of merchandise at her, which struck her, English said. She then called 911.

Thurman then attempted to leave the store with the merchandise but was approached by the same employee, English said. Thurman shoved her, which caused her to stumble backward, he said.

A customer intervened and Thurman attempted to fight the customer, English said.

The customer was able to restrain Thurman until officers arrived and arrested Thurman, English said.

While in police custody, Thurman provided a fictitious name to the officers but they are able to confirm his real identity, English said.

The store employee and customer refused medical assistance, he said.

Will County prosecutors charged Thurman with retail theft of beauty products and aggravated battery for scratching the customer’s neck, shoving the employee and tossing the bag of items at her, court records show. Thurman was also charged with criminal damage to the CVS electronic surveillance system.

On Saturday, Judge Roger Rickmon set Thurman’s bond at $40,000 and banned him from all CVS stores in Will County.

On Tuesday, Thurman made an oral motion to address his bond, court records show. Judge Fred Harvey lowered the bond to $20,000. Thurman will need to post $2,000 for his release from jail.