6 charged with retail theft, burglary for stealing merchandise from Glendale Heights Target
Aaren Verrett (top left), Dante Smith (top right), Matthew Martin (bottom left), Terrence Knight Jr. (bottom right)
GLENDALE HEIGHTS, Ill. - Authorities say charges have been filed against six individuals for allegedly stealing merchandise from a Glendale Heights Target store.
Aaren Verrett, 41, of Chicago, Matthew Martin, 20, of Merrillville, Ind., Dante Smith, 21, of Chicago and Terrance Knight, Jr., 18, of Chicago appeared in Bond Court Sunday morning where Judge Timothy McJoynt set bond at $3,000 with 10 percent to apply for Smith and Knight, $20,000 with 10 percent to apply for Verrett and $100,000 with 10 percent to apply for Martin.
Two juveniles have also been charged and will appear at a detention hearing Monday.
All parties have been charged with one count of retail theft and one count of burglary. In addition, Martin has been charged with one count of aggravated battery.
On Friday, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Glendale Heights police responded to a Target store located on Army Trail Road for a report of a Target store employee being struck by an individual who was attempting to steal merchandise from the store.
Allegedly, all six individuals arrived at the Target store together in a car driven by Verrett. Verrett reportedly parked the car on the side of the store and remained in the car while the other five people entered the store.
Police say the suspects went to the back of the store and one of the juveniles and Martin approached the iPhone display where the juvenile took a wire cutter out of his pocket and cut the security wire that secured an iPhone to the display.
At that time, an alarm sounded and all the defendants began walking toward the front of the store with the iPhone when the juvenile and Martin were approached by a store employee, the DuPage County State's Attorney said.
It is further alleged that Martin punched the employee in the face while the juvenile returned to the display and cut another iPhone from the display. All suspects then allegedly returned to the car in which Verrett was waiting and fled the scene.
The Glendale Heights Police Department began an investigation, which resulted in the vehicle allegedly driven by Verrett being pulled over a short time later.
All six people were taken into custody at that time. The two iPhones allegedly stolen were worth approximately $4,000.
The next court appearance for all the defendants is scheduled for Jan. 4, 2021 for arraignment.