Police: Man with Gun Was Off-Duty Woodridge Cop Trying to Stop Theft

A report of a man with a gun in the parking lot of a store turned out to be an off-duty Woodridge police officer attempting to stop an apparent theft, police said Friday.

Sgt. Mike Fisher said police got a call around 3:43 p.m. that a man with a gun was spotted in the parking lot of the Jewel at Route 59 and 135th Street.

Five Plainfield squad cars responded to the call, Fisher said, blocking off the entrances to prevent the reported suspect from fleeing.

“We came in a’blazing,” Fisher said, but police quickly learned the armed man was an off-duty Woodridge police officer who was trying to stop an apparent theft.

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The off-duty officer spotted two people running out of the store as the security sensor alarms went off, according to police.

“He got the cop sense that they were committing a crime,” Fisher said. “He was attempting to stop them and they fled.”

Fisher said the alleged thieves got into a car and drove off. Two witnesses who watched the incident unfold called police.

“He wasn’t in uniform, so obviously, he looked like a man with a gun,” Fisher said.

Fisher said are investigating whether a theft did occur at the Jewel, and are reviewing store surveillance video. 

“We do have leads,” he said. “We do have a very good description of the car and the license plate,” thanks to the off-duty officer, Fisher added.

He said police are not releasing information on the vehicle description until they can confirm that a crime was committed.

“We’re still putting this together,” Fisher said, adding no shots were fired in the incident.

“No one was ever in any danger,” Fisher said.

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