Police: Man stole from Palatine store, punched employee who confronted him

A man stole cosmetics from a Palatine store, punched and pepper-sprayed an employee who confronted him, and then led police on a car chase before getting away Sunday, authorities said.

According to Palatine police, the man walked out of the Walgreens in the 0-100 block of North Northwest Highway shortly before 5 p.m. carrying a couple of bags filled with cosmetics he had not paid for.

After being alerted by customers, a store employee followed the man into the parking lot, where the confrontation took place, police said.

A police officer who was driving by saw the disturbance, but before police could stop the suspect, he got into a vehicle and fled the scene.

Police pursued the vehicle as it weaved in and out of traffic until it disappeared from officers' sight after entering Route 53 from Palatine Road, authorities said.

Police said it was not a high-speed pursuit, but the man committed traffic violations along the way.

The employee refused treatment, police said.