Crime & Safety

Woodridge Police Nab Suspect After Plainfield Jewel Incident

'Man with a gun' was off-duty officer attempting to stop shoplifters, according to police.

Hours after an attempted to stop what he believed to be a theft in progress at a , the two suspects were located on the officer’s home turf, according to Woodridge police.

Jacqueline Alejandro, 25, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia after police tracked her and a male suspect to an address in Woodridge, according to a release issued Monday by Management Analyst Kate Andris.

The incident unfolded around 3:43 p.m. Friday when the off-duty officer spotted two people running out of the Plainfield Jewel store as security sensor alarms went off.

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“He got the cop sense they were committing a crime,” and attempted to stop them, Mike Fisher told Patch on Friday.

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The officer identified himself and attempted to stop the suspects, but they got into their vehicle and drove towards the officer, Andris said.

“In defense, the officer drew his weapon but was able to avoid being struck by the fleeing vehicle without having to discharge his weapon,” she said.

Fisher said two bystanders called police after seeing the man with his gun drawn, not realizing he was a police officer.

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

The suspects were gone before police arrived on the scene.

Police were able to track their car to a location in Woodridge thanks to the description provided by the off-duty officer, who was able to get the license plate number, Andris said.

The plate was registered to a Woodridge address, she said.

“Both suspects were identified and subsequently implicated themselves in the retail theft from the Jewel-Osco in Plainfield and knowingly fled from the off-duty Woodridge officer,” Andris said.

No charges were filed in connection with the reported retail theft. On Friday, Fisher said police were investigating the incident and reviewing surveillance video.

The male suspect was released without charges, according to Woodridge police.

Andris said she did not know whether any charges would be filed in connection to the allegation that the suspects drove their vehicle at the police officer.

“That is something that Plainfield will have to make a decision on,” she said.


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