KANKAKEE, Ill. (CBS) — Police in Kankakee County didn’t have to stage a raid to find one wanted fugitive – it just so happens that all it took for him to surrender was a PhotoShop request.
Every Wednesday is “Warrant Wednesday” for Kankakee County Sheriff’s police. The department posts notices about wanted fugitives on its Facebook page and advises that anyone who can assist police in locating them will be eligible for a monetary reward.
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, sheriff’s police posted a wanted fugitive notice for Brandon W. Conti, 25, who had been wanted for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Soon after posting the notice, whom should appear in the comments on the post but Conti himself?
“I’m appalled,” Conti wrote. “Where’s my costume?”
(via Facebook)
So Conti’s mugshot was altered by sheriff’s office IT staff ofifice with a sailor suit and hat reading, “Ahoy.”
“Done! We held up our end of the bargain,” a sheriff’s officer wrote. “Now, you do the right thing and ‘Sail’ yourself on in here and turn yourself in. Or, call us, and we’d be happy to provide you transportation.”
Conti agreed to surrender.
“That’s awesome,” he wrote with two laughing-face emojis. “I’ll be there before noon please have the paperwork done and ready.”
Police confirmed to CBS 2 that Conti did, in fact, turn himself in to police later Wednesday.
Kankakee County Sheriff’s police Chief Deputy Ken McCabe said Warrant Wednesdays were started in August 2014, because police did not have the staffing to go out looking for fugitives.
The program has a 75 percent success rate, with an average of 49.5 days’ time before total resolution, McCabe said.
The majority of fugitives are wanted for failure to appear in court on some offense, which clogs the whole system, McCabe said.
