Taser Has No Effect on Fleeing Shoplifter, Cops Say

Oak Lawn police shot multiple taser prongs at a man fleeing a supermarket with with stolen alcohol but the taser prongs had no effect, reports said.

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Police were called to Jewel-Osco at 9424 S. Pulaski Road around 8:13 p.m. Jan. 3 for a retail theft that just occurred.

When police arrived store employees pointed out a man identified as Limmie E. Varner, 46, of Chicago, standing at the bus stop across the street.

Police said that Varner started to walk away when he saw officers arrive in the Standard Bank parking lot.

The officer soon had Varner up against the bank wall with his taser activated, reports said. As the officer attempted to search him, Varner spun around and shoved the cop, reports said.

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Varner was running eastbound when the officer deployed his taser, reports said. The prongs stuck to Varner’s multiple layers of clothing but did not have contact with his skin, police said.

Another officer soon joined in the foot pursuit. Varner allegedly ran across Pulaski and back into the alley. Police said he hopped a fence behind the 9500 block of South Harding Avenue.

The officer deployed his taser a second time, but said only one of the probes stuck to the back of Varner’s jacket.

Officers met in the front yard and said that Varner never came out. He was eventually found hiding underneath a car in the driveway, police said.

According to the report, Varner continued to struggle with police but eventually he was handcuffed. Cops found a can of beer and two bottle of liquor, and a burnt metal pipe on Varner’s person.

Police said that Varner refused to provide ID at the Oak Lawn police station, so fingerprints were needed to identify him.

Varner was charged with retail theft, battery of a police officer, resisting arrest and possession of drug equipment. His next court appearance is Jan. 28 in Bridgeview.

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