Joliet police officers use Taser on man wanted on retail theft charges: cops

Officers used a Taser to apprehend a man wanted on several new retail theft charges after he pleaded guilty last year to stealing wigs from a Joliet store.

At 3:13 a.m. Wednesday, officers went to an apartment building in the 700 block of John Street for a report of an unwanted person on the property, according to a statement from Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

When officers arrived, they saw Pierre Cole, 33, who’s homeless, in the building, and officers knew that Cole had numerous warrants for his arrest, English said.

Those warrants were for retail theft charges against Cole, who is suspected in one of those cases of stealing more than $2,000 in cigarettes from a Joliet gas station.

Cole had fled from officers as they tried to speak to him, English said.

“While officers ran after Cole, they deployed a Taser that struck Cole, causing him to fall,” English said.

Cole then got back up and continued running from officers, English said.

Officers eventually found Cole hiding in the 800 block of John Street, and he was placed into custody without further incident, English said.

On June 17, Cole had pleaded guilty to stealing wigs from Sky Hair and Wig, 1498 N. Larkin Ave., Joliet, but his conviction was deferred so he could receive inpatient care at a substance abuse treatment facility, court records show.

Obstruction of justice charges against Cole in another case were dropped in light of his guilty plea in the wig theft case.

Cole is suspected of stealing a box Nov. 28 containing cartons of cigarettes valued at more than $2,000 from a BP gas station, 1522 Clement St., Joliet, and fleeing from the store, English said.

On Dec. 26, officers were called to Dollar General, 916 W. Jefferson St., for a theft report of a garbage can and toilet paper, English said. Cole was identified by witnesses as the suspect.

On Jan. 14, officers went to Walgreens, 1801 Ingalls Ave., for a theft report of cigarettes, worth about $800, English said. Cole again was identified by detectives as the suspect, he said.

Cole was formally charged with retail theft in each incident.