Oct. 27--A Chicago man was charged with felony theft after he allegedly stole $5,000 worth of cigarettes from a truck making a delivery to a gas station in Riverside, police said.
Jesus A. Sanchez, 34, of the 5100 block of West Drummond Place, was arrested after an investigation by Riverside police and the Major Case Assistance Team, a task force of personnel from 11 west suburban communities, according to a news release from the Riverside Police Department.
Police said the theft occurred Oct. 16 while cigarettes were being delivered to a gas station in the 3300 block of Harlem Avenue. The truck was parked on East Quincy Street near the station. While the delivery man was in the station, another person jumped into the back of the truck and stole boxes containing cartons of cigarettes, police said. The offender then ran west and got into a car, but dropped all the boxes before fleeing in the car.
A witness took a picture of the car as it was driven off. Police traced the plates to a Chicago address, but later learned the plates did not match the address. Further investigation eventually led police to Sanchez at the West Drummond Place address, where he was arrested Oct. 19. Sanchez told police he changed his plates many times, according to the news release.
According to Riverside police Chief Thomas Weitzel, an investigation determined the cigarette truck had been followed into Riverside from the vicinity of Milwaukee and Belmont avenues on Chicago's North Side.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident and other cigarette thefts in the western suburbs, according to the news release.
