One costly gumball, a mugshot for the ages and a crafty cell phone thief

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Andrei Bibbs

Updated: January 11, 2012 6:10PM

A man facing felony theft charges for stealing $1.75 from a restaurant gumball machine probably would have made more money working at the place — based on the minimum wage alone.

Joliet police were called at 11:50 a.m. Monday to Super China Buffet, 2318 W. Jefferson St., for a man breaking into the gumball machine near the front door.

Police said Darrin L. Harris, 38, came into the restaurant in a wheelchair and spent a half hour reaching into the gumball machine.

Police said he gave officers the seven quarters he’d gotten from the machine, and was charged with a felony because of his prior criminal record.

Doh! a DUI

Andrei Bibbs, 54, of Blue Island, was arrested Saturday in Will County by state police on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Authorities had no further information on the arrest, but Bibbs’ mugshot probably sums up how he felt about it.

The shirt looked so real ...

Will County Sheriff’s police said a man called the Radio Shack, 14228 S. Bell Road, about 6 p.m. Jan. 2 claiming to be “David,” the manager of the Radio Shack in Downers Grove. He asked if their store had an AT&T iPhone and an AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II phone in stock and said he would come by to pick them up.

About an hour later, a man came in wearing a Radio Shack polo shirt and took the two phones.

The next day, the store manager learned the Downers Grove store never requested the phones and didn’t send over an employee.