People v. James

Following a bench trial, the McLean County circuit court found defendant guilty of the offense of retail theft over $150, a Class 3 felony (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 38, pars. 16A — 3(a), 16A — 10(3)). The State presented evidence at trial which, if believed, identified the defendant as the man observed leaving an Oseo drugstore in possession of three telephones for which he had not paid. The retail price of the telephones was $297. Following conviction, the court sentenced defendant to two years’ incarceration in the Department of Corrections.

On appeal, defendant maintains that section 16A —…