Police Seize $22,000 in Sex Toys and Other Explicit Items from Spencer’s Gifts
Complaints about “sexual aids” and “explicit merchandise” prompt Orland Park cops to clear the mall store's shelves of the products and arrest a 19-year-old clerk.
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About $22,000 in "sexually explicit" merchandise, including sex toys and love dolls, was seized from Spencer's Gifts at Orland Square Mall — and a teenage clerk was arrested — after a store manager told police his bosses wouldn't let him hide the wares from minors.
Following a mall shopper's complaint to police about seeing "various sexual aids and other sexually explicit merchandise" on display at Spencer's, an Orland Park police officer visited the store on Dec. 1. Inside, the officer saw the sex toys, inflatable love dolls, lubricants, gels, sado-masochistic products and sex-themed Christmas merchandise, according to police.
The officer asked a manager on duty if the items could be moved and cordoned off from access to minors, and the manager said he was required to follow the corporate-dictated floor plan for the store, according to the report.
The officer noted that a sign is placed near the store's doorway that reads "Parental Advisory Adult Humor and Content."
"We tried to get compliance from the manager," Cmdr. John Keating said. "There's no back room, nothing is separated."
On Dec. 3, a 17-year-old and 15-year-old working under cover for the police went to the store and bought a sex toy and a "bondage fantasy" item which depicted a woman in ankle and wrist cuffs, police said. The minors were not asked for identification before the sale, according to the police.
Later that day, Judge James Ryan authorized a search warrant on the store. Officers returned to Spencer's on Dec. 4 and seized about $22,000 worth of merchandise, police said.
The cashier who sold the items, a 19-year-old Bridgeview woman, was charged with distribution of harmful materials and taken into custody. The woman said she did not receive any training regarding the sale of sexually explicit material, Sgt. Scott Malmborg said.
The store's headquarters hired an attorney for her, according to the police report.
"If it's in the back and there's no access to minors, it wouldn't be a big deal," Malmborg said. "But having it spread through the store didn't fit the statute."
On Dec. 7, an Orland Park police officer returned to the store with a copy of Illinois Statute 720 ILCS 5/11-21 that lists what the law considers "harmful materials." The officer gave the store manager the copy and said he and his employees should become familiar with the law, and if it was disregarded again further action would be taken, according to the report.
A store manager declined to comment Friday evening and referred questions to Spencer's Gifts General Counsel Kevin Mahoney, who was not available for comment Friday evening.
Representatives of Orland Square Mall declined comment.
Orland Park Village Manager Paul Grimes said the village has been talking with representatives of the store chain, but declined to go into further detail about the nature of those talks.
The cashier is scheduled to be in court Feb. 4.
Rose Pilny
3:07 pm on Monday, December 13, 2010
I would love to know why Orland Park PD finds it okay then for this merchandise to be on the shelf 'exposed at Orland Park's Lover's Lane and at Orland Park's TWO Party City Stores (as in all of the Bachelorette merchandise confiscated). Does OPPD have nothing better to do at Christmas in Orland Park???
Denise Haas
9:20 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Um, because the mall is a place for little unsupervised kids to frolic and Lovers Lane is an ADULT STORE. Hey, Pilgrim, this is free country, loosen up. Bust the mall store and leave Lover's Lane alone, unless you want to dress up.
Heather S.
12:50 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Because Lovers Lane has a policy in place that unless you are 18 or older with a valid ID you can not enter or buy anything. As for Party City I have never been in there
Hank Warren
5:40 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Cops, with too much time on their hands, yet another violation of our rights. Add it to the list of gov’t violations of our right:
They violate the 1st Amendment by placing protesters in cages, banning books like “America Deceived II” and censoring the internet.
They violate the 2nd Amendment by confiscating guns.
They violate the 4th and 5th Amendment by molesting airline passengers.
They violate the entire Constitution by starting undeclared wars for foreign countries.
Impeach Obama and sweep out the Congress, except Ron Paul.
(Last link of Banned Book):
http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000190526
Baba Wawa
4:50 pm on Sunday, January 30, 2011
Get a grip, nutcase.
Thomas Morton
7:17 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
I HAVE to move to Orland Park! Clearly, there's no crime, and the taxpayers can afford to pay police and prosecutors to indulge in this kind of activity.
Kewl.
Denise Haas
11:17 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
And local taxes are LOW> That's a novel concept for New Lenox!
jim
11:34 am on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
all of the spencer gifts i have been to in the chicagoland area carry these types of items and they are not separated from everything else. i didn't realize that these things are "illegal"
Hulio Mendez
12:43 pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Okay, I'll play along and ignorantly think it a violation of 1st amendment ON THE COndition that a gun store (second amendment) be allowed to open up shop somewhere in the mall.
David B
2:36 pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Simply ridiculous,, sounds more like the morality / fashion police they have in Saudi Arabia and other mid-east countries. What's next, someone filing a complaint on Victoria's Secret for displaying risqué lingerie?
anon
3:09 pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
When I first read the headline, I came here to read the story and complain about how ridiculous the cops are being and how our rights are being trampled every day - but then I read the story. You know, it makes sense, except for one thing. I've been in Spencers before, all around the country, and it's true - many of the items they have there are not suitable for minors, and are on plain display. Personally, this doesnt bother me, but if there is a law on the books, Spencer's doesnt get to ignore it just because this is what their store does all around the country. The police gave the store a chance to comply with the law, and they didn't. The only thing that I do think is damn ridiculous is that they arrested the 19 year old that was working there. Hello? She's just a kid working for gas money, maybe college. She's not the manager, and is just doing what she's told. She had no power to rearrange the store. If someone was to be arrested it should have been the manger or the local franchise owner. Leave the poor kid alone. Should have had her call the manager and insist he come to the store at once for an emergency.
reality
7:49 pm on Tuesday, December 14, 2010
By golly its about time the cubby scout police start getting these dangerous criminals.They are lucky the swat team didnt roll in and baracade the mall LOL.Now the mall will be a much safer place thanks to donnyduck n friends lol.Its good they charged the 19 yr old cashier.I bet she was armed and dangerous lol.What a crock.Really tired of all local donnyducks.Can ya boys get some CRIMINALS,otherwise take them badges off lay the guns down and go back home to momma.Its a complete joke today.We have real criminals that are out and about.Its a joke
Hulio Mendez
12:41 am on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Dildos, joy jellies and junior high bathroom stahl humors for the liberals on level one and guns, ammos, scopes,reloading supplies for conservatives. Happy bipartisan shopping for everyone!!!
Hulio Mendez
12:57 am on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
you know it is a free country when you can walk through the mall with a loaded AK 47 and nobody thinking nuthin of it. Nobody afraid cause the good guys have the guns and the bad ones, well, they have them too but wouldn't live but for two seconds if they acted badly with gun within the mall. To buy joy jellies and blow up dolls over in Spencer's without worry of being arrested by the local yokel Taliban ANd to stop in at the cigarette shop for Marijuana cigarettes, dirt cheap despite the taxes on them.
What A NOT FREE country we have with the ameriKa that exist today. Of course, I doubt old George would have brought home a special toy for Martha even if Spencer's existed back then.
Arne Asada
3:59 am on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
First of all, I can't believe Spencer's Gifts are still around. I thought those stores went away years ago. Second, $22,000 worth of sex toys and other stuff sounds like a lot of fun. LOL. The police should forget about Toys for Tots and donate these toys to the less fortunate but to those of age of course. =-)
Mark Thompson
9:54 pm on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
yea, punish the cashier. make an example of him. make sure he cant go to college and he has to work terrible jobs his whole life. its the cashiers fault, lemme tell ya. stupid cashiers make the decision for spencers floorplans, cashiers do the ordering of the sex toys, cashiers are the malicious ones here...
Ryan
1:10 pm on Thursday, December 16, 2010
I know what the Orlando Park police spouses will be getting for Christmas! Guess they couldn't afford to buy their sex toys so they had to find some way to steal them.
Trix
11:01 am on Wednesday, December 22, 2010
This is so completely ridiculous. I work at a Spencer's Gifts, and the employees reserve the right to NOT sell explicit stuff to kids who are being completely immature about it. So yeah, if a 15 and 17 year old walk into my store and are being completely mature and not giggling like idiots and making a lot of fuss, I don't mind selling them a little crappy 10 dollar vibrator. But I do NOT sell them to kids who look like they haven't hit puberty yet or are screeching about how hilarious it is.
And I can't believe they arrested the cashier. I mean, really, it's totally her fault for actually being able to find a job in this cruddy economy! And it absolutely was not her fault for this; they should have at least contacted her district manager or someone else from corporate before arresting her if they really had to.
I hope those policemen have a horrible, horrible Christmas.