Cook County Sheriff's Office busts store accused of buying, selling stolen goods

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff's Office say they've busted a store on Chicago's Near West Side that's accused of buying and selling a lot of stolen merchandise.

Sheriff Tom Dart said investigators from his Organized Retail Crime Team raided a store called "The Flee Club" on Taylor Street near Ogden Avenue and found more than $2.5 million worth of stolen goods.

“The types of things we got. It was just stunning, just stunning. I mean, it's Prada, it's LuluLemon, it's Louis Vuitton, I think Nike, Adidas, Gucci – from a wide range of locations. We're still tracking down some of the locations where the stuff came from,” Dart said.

Dart said police also found five guns and a large amount of ammunition in the store.

“This is not somebody who's stealing a loaf of bread to feed their family. No, no, no, no. This is very organized, this is not just very expensive stuff,” Dart said.

“But I can just tell you based on all the data, everything we hear and talk to because we have units that literally spend their time walking up and down Michigan Avenue and places like that over at Macy's, these business owners have had enough.”

Prosecutors have charged the owner of the store, 44-year-old Darris Kelly of Maywood and an employee, 50-year-old Jerry Walker of Broadview, with theft.

Dart said Walker also faces a gun charge.

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