How much time in prison would you receive from stealing a remote? A few days? Months? No jail time at all?

What about 22 years?

This is the case for Eric Bramwell, 35, of Illinois. Back in August of 2015, the man stole a universal remote from an apartment building. He left a glove at the scene and DNA evidence traced the theft back to him.

Like a shoplifter suffering from kleptomania, Bramwell has a history of [...]

If you are convicted of theft of over $300 in our state, you will be convicted of a Class 4 felony.

That’s right – $300 is all it takes. And a Class 4 felony isn’t anything to sneeze at, either. Penalties can include one to three years in prison.

And if you are incarcerated (Class 4 felons in Illinois spend, on average, 7 months in prison), you will arrive to an overcrowded prison, where around 40% of your [...]