Three men associated with the group known as the “Puffy Coat Bandits” were arrested after a theft incident at a Downtown Cheesecake Factory, police said on April 9. Javon Dwight Jones, Lorenzo Relf, and James Wilkins face felony theft charges and have been placed on house arrest and electronic monitoring following their court appearance.
The arrests highlight ongoing concerns about organized pickpocketing targeting diners in Chicago’s North Side restaurants. The group has reportedly operated for at least five years and is suspected of nearly 100 incidents involving purse snatching and credit card fraud.
According to prosecutors, the most recent incident began when a woman dining at Fogo de Chão noticed her purse was missing. Surveillance footage allegedly showed Wilkins taking the purse while Relf and Jones observed from another table. The suspects then attempted to use stolen credit cards at a nearby Target store but were unsuccessful, which alerted police to their location. Officers later apprehended them inside The Cheesecake Factory under the John Hancock Center.
Police documents indicate that while the group typically operates in threes, authorities have identified at least ten members involved in these crimes, as well as several vehicles used by the crew. Previous arrests of individuals believed to be ringleaders appeared to slow activity temporarily; however, recent events suggest continued operations under different members.
The group’s methods include distracting victims with flyers before stealing valuables and quickly attempting high-value purchases with stolen cards at retailers such as Target or Nordstrom. Judge Luciano Panici said during Saturday’s hearing: “These three gentlemen hatched this scheme to steal.”
Jones and Wilkins were said by their public defender to have volunteered recently at Project H.O.O.D., an organization focused on youth violence prevention and reentry programs for formerly incarcerated people. However, Brian Alexander of Project H.O.O.D. stated he could not confirm their involvement or employment status with the organization. “It’s extremely difficult to break the cycle, change the way people are thinking and relating to their environment,” Alexander said.
