A shoplifting suspect reportedly threatened a Lakeview Walgreen’s employee with a box cutter before running away and jumping onto the L tracks at the Sheridan station late this morning.
The man is in custody and no injuries were reported in the incident which shut down North Side Red Line train service for about an hour.
#BREAKING – Chicago Police talked a man off of the @cta tracks near the Wilson Red Line stop. Originally reported as a man threatening passengers with a knife, SWAT responded when he jumped and fled onto the tracks. Service was suspended for about an hour. Now on @CapturedNews. pic.twitter.com/wvMKs7tVQd— Christopher Smith (@chrissmith) February 13, 2018
Shortly before noon, a man pulled out a knife or box cutter when a manager tried to stop him from stealing a bag full of merchandise from the Walgreens at 953 West Irving Park Road, police said.
The thief fled the scene and went to the nearby Sheridan Red Line station where a CTA worker subsequently reported that a man was threatening passengers with a box cutter.
Officers arriving at the Sheridan station reported seeing a man walking northbound on the tracks. Cops followed the man on the rails and on the ground until he came to a stop at Montrose.
There, crisis intervention officers spoke with the man, eventually getting him to agree to walk to the Wilson station where an ambulance was waiting. Power to the Red Line was turned off from Clark/Division to Thorndale while officers spoke with the man, according to the CTA.
The man was taken to Thorek Hospital for evaluation. No charges have yet been approved.
Police officers at the Sheridan station reported recovering a duffel bag “full of proceeds” from the Walgreens theft. Train service resumed around 1 p.m.
