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joliet, Romeoville — Joliet police say a thief might have flipped his wig — and then stole three of them.
The Joliet man, who goes by Pierre or Shantel, has been in jail for about a month after he was allegedly caught stealing three wigs worth $160 from a store on Larkin Avenue, police said.
Since May 10, Pierre Cole, 32, has been jailed on a felony retail theft charge in that incident and another one in Romeoville. In the latter incident, prosecutors alleged Cole tried to obstruct a burglary investigation by telling an officer his name was Shantel Cole with a birthdate that was not his.
Cole was previously arrested for the alleged theft of more than $2,900 in cigarettes from two stores in Joliet last year.
On April 10, officers responded to Sky Hair and Wig, 1498 N. Larkin Avenue, for a report of a retail theft, Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English said. The store is in the North Ridge Plaza, which is also the site of Portillo’s and VASA Fitness.
Officers say Cole entered the store and stole three wigs valued at $160 and fled without paying, English said.
During the investigation, detectives managed to identify Cole as the suspect, English said. Detectives secured a warrant for Cole’s arrest from Judge Victoria Breslan, who set Cole’s bond at $25,000.
Prosecutors charged Cole with felony retail theft for stealing the wigs after he had been previously convicted of stealing food and cosmetics in 2012 at Jewel-Osco, 1401 W. Jefferson St., Joliet.
On June 2, 2021, officers investigated $900 worth of cigarette cartons stolen from Family Dollar, 1224 Richards St., and determined Cole was the suspect, English said.
Officers also determined Cole was the suspect behind the theft of more than $2,000 worth of cigarette cartons on June 14, 2021, from the Marathon gas station, 2314 Glenwood Avenue, English said.
Officers located Cole on July 15 in the 1800 block of McDonough Street and arrested him, English said.
Prosecutors charged Cole with felony retail theft in the Family Dollar and Marathon incidents, court records show.
Prosecutors dropped the charges over the Family Dollar incident on Nov. 1.
On the same day, Cole pleaded guilty to retail theft of Marathon gas station and agreed to participate in drug court, a program that helps treat defendants with drug addiction issues, court records show.