Woman ‘Wasn’t Thinking’ When Injured Cop and Stole Perfume: Blotter

A Matteson woman is accused of causing injuries to a police officer who tried handcuffing her, after store security said she was seen taking perfume without paying, according to an Orland Park Police report.

Kim Whatley, 50, of the first block on West Cloverleaf Street in Matteson, was charged with felony retail theft, battery and resisting arrest.

On Nov. 15, the Orland Park Police Department was called to the upper level of Orland Square Mall about a security guard from Sephora fighting with a woman suspected of theft around 12:30 p.m. The first officer on scene tried putting the woman, Whatley, into custody and she kept pulling away as he was putting handcuffs on her, and ignored directions to cooperate, police said. Whatley was moved to the ground, but still resisted handcuffs, even as another officer assisted, according to the report. The first officer was left with wrist ligament injuries after Whatley was handcuffed, police said.

The security guard told police that Whatley was seen putting three bottles of perfume into her purse and walking out of the store without paying, according to the report. Sensors were set off as Whatley left the store, though she kept walking away from the guard despite instructions to stop, police said. Whatley shoved the guard away when he stood in front of her, and continued walking away from Sephora before police arrived, according to the report.

The perfume bottles cost a total of $217, police said.

While at the police station, Whatley told police she “just wasn’t thinking,” according to the report.

Police blotter information is provided by the Orland Park Police Department. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions taken on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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