People v. Cortez

The defendant, Anthony Cortez, was convicted following a bench trial held on October 26, 1973, of the theft, on October 13, 1973, of a man’s leather jacket, the property of Sears Roebuck and Company, in violation of section 16 — 1(a)(1) of the Criminal Code (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1973, ch. 38, par. 16 — 1(a) (1)), and admitted to 2 years’ probation. The only issue on appeal is whether the State’s evidence proves the defendant was guilty of theft beyond a reasonable doubt.

Walter Biddle, a security agent for Sears Roebuck and Company at their employees’ store at 5555 South Archer Avenue in Chicago,…