Knife-wielding detergent thief dragged store employee with car: cops

A man was jailed after he stole laundry detergent, dragged a loss prevention employee with his vehicle and then cut his finger with a kitchen knife, Joliet police said.

About 4:20 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to Jewel-Osco at 1401 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet to investigate a report of a retail theft and learned that 51-year-old Gregory Backstrom was caught stealing multiple bottles of laundry detergent, police said.

A loss prevention employee confronted the Joliet man as he entered the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the fire lane, police said.

“The loss prevention officer grabbed onto Backstrom, who then placed his vehicle in drive and began to drive away, dragging the loss prevention officer,” police said.

Backstrom’s vehicle stopped after he struck an unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot, police said.

“Backstrom exited his vehicle and began waving a kitchen knife at the loss prevention officer,” police said.

Backstrom’s cut the employee’s finger, police said. Despite the wound, the worker was able to detain him until officers arrived.

“Backstrom attempted to give a false name to officers, however, his identity was confirmed and he was placed into custody without further incident,” police said.

Backstrom was taken to the Will County jail and his bond was set at $450,000.