Police: Man Stuffed Pellet Guns in His Pants at Kmart

arrested a Park Forest man who they said stuffed more than $400 worth of merchandise—including two pellet guns—into his pants before leaving the local Kmart store.

James J. Churchill, 26, of the 100 block of Elm Street in Park Forest, was arrested around 12:45 a.m. Sept. 21 at the Kmart at 16300 S. Harlem Ave., in . He was charged with one misdemeanor count of retail theft.

Loss prevention officers called Tinley Park police after they said they watched Churchill remove several items from their packaging so he could get them past security sensors. Churchill sliced his hand while opening one of the packages, which was later taken into evidence, police said.

Churchill admitted to the theft when asked by police, according to the report. They found in his pants a Sony camcorder, an LDS silver watch, a Jaclyn Smith watch, a Batman watch, a Gerber mini reflex knife, an air-soft pistol, a BB pistol with a laser sight and a separate laser sight. The items totaled $442.67, according to the report.

Police said they also found Churchill with three razor blades that surveillance showed he used to remove the merchandise from its packaging.

"Churchill stated that he lost his job and was stealing so that he could sell the property for rent money," the report said. His bail was set at $1,500.

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