Police Blotter: Home Burglarized, Grandma Scammed for $1,000

ALARM 

Officers responded to an active alarm at 10:50 a.m. Nov. 10 on the 300 block of West Half Day Road and found the rear door ajar. Officers checked the interior and found no one inside and everything appeared to be OK. Officers were able to secure the door, but due to damage on the door, a slight pull on the door would set off the alarm. An official was notified. 

ALCOHOL

David J. Hicks, 50, of the 1000 block of Willow Bay, Elgin, was charged with driving under the influence and speeding at 12:30 a.m. Nov. 10 on Lake-Cook Road at Milwaukee Avenue.

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY

A complainant reported that someone made a baseball-sized hole located by the lock mechanism near her car’s right rear window between 9-11:15 a.m. Nov. 9 on the 1200 block of West Dundee Road. The doors of the car were still locked and nothing was missing from inside. 

BURGLARY

A resident of the 2000 block of Sheridan Road reported that when he arrived home at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 9 he found the front door jamb broken and the strike plate for the dead bolt on the floor. The back glass doors had also been pried open. An officer searched the home and found no one inside and the resident stated that nothing appeared to be disturbed except a dog gate had been moved to the side. A neighbor told police that she thought she saw a suspicious black four-door vehicle in the area, but she could not provide any additional information.  

COMPLAINTS

A resident of the 1-100 block of Columbus Parkway reported that someone dumped garbage on his lawn Nov. 8 and 9. The resident found two receipts with the same credit card number, and one had a name on it. An officer contacted that person and asked for her to call him regarding the incident.  

Officers responded to a report of fove youths throwing rocks at vehicles at 4:55 p.m. Nov. 9 on Oak Creek Drive. A resident stated that when she was riding her bike in the area, a rock was thrown at her. The youths then disappeared. Officers located a group of youths who then scattered from the area, leaving a bike behind. The bike had a Buffalo Grove tag on it and officer contacted the resident. The resident did not know who had the bike that afternoon, but said that she would come to the station later, with her son, to discuss the incident. 

Officers located several cars at 10:15 p.m. Nov. 9 in the parking lot at Tripp School, where youths stated that they were there waiting for a friend that was walking with his girlfriend. The complainant stated that a group of youths were coming and going from an address on Highland Grove Drive, being loud and speeding. Officers went to that home but no one answered the door. 

A resident of the 1100 block of Miller Lane reported that a neighbor knocked on their door at 10:20 p.m. Nov. 9, and when they answered, the neighbor began yelling. The neighbor accused them of calling the police on him. The resident did not know which unit the neighbor lived in and did not want the police to follow up; they just wanted the incident documented. 

A resident of Trace Drive reported five youths making a lot of noise outside of her apartment at 6:45 p.m. Nov. 10. When the resident confronted the youths and asked them to quiet down, the resident was met with a cavalier attitude. When the residents told the youths that she was going to call the police, the youths departed. Officers checked the area with negative results. 

DECEPTIVE PRACTICES

A resident reported receiving a call at 10 a.m. Nov. 9 from a person who stated that she was a police sergeant in Mexico City and that the resident’s grandson had been arrested. The sergeant told the resident that she needed to send $2,000 to secure the grandson’s release. When the resident stated that she only had $1,000, it was accepted. The resident then purchased a $1,000 money gram from Walmart, called the phone number provided and gave the sergeant the reference number for the money gram. When the resident spoke with her daughter the following day, the daughter informed the resident that her son was not in Mexico.  

DISPUTES

An official at Wooil Restaurant reported a customer that could not pay for his bill at 3:05 p.m. Nov. 9. The customer paid $5 for the $9.88 bill. The customer apologized, stating that he though he had more money on him. The customer understood when he was told not to return and he departed. 

A Buffalo Grove Theater manager reported two female patrons that were being belligerent and refused to leave at 8:15 p.m. Nov. 10. The manager stated that the two entered the theater with food that they purchased elsewhere and they were told they could not do so. They then became belligerent and began swearing. The manager refused to refund the money for the tickets. The patrons remained belligerent but left the premises. 

A resident of the 500 block of LaSalle Lane reported Nov. 9 that he rents the unit from his wife’s cousin. When the resident reported a problem with the kitchen sink, the landlord sent his mother to check on the problem. The mother then checked the home and began yelling at the resident and his wife. The resident has attempted to contact the landlord without success. An officer spoke with the landlord who stated he would contact the resident and discuss the issue. 

A resident reported Nov. 11 that a former employee is harassing him via social media and text messages. The resident was advised to stop his communications with the former employee and to contact the police should the harassment escalate. 

DISTURBANCES

A customer at Jewel told police that another customer who was driving a motorized cart told the customer to move her fat behind so that she could continue on at 10:40 a.m. Nov. 11. The driver of the cart told the officer that she asked politely twice, and when she was ignored, she indeed told the customer what was reported. Both shoppers were requested to act civilly when in public. 

A Burger King official reported two male and one female subjects disturbing a customer by yelling and using profanities at 7:55 p.m. Nov. 11. The subjects then departed in a gold colored Chevy SUV. The official did not have a direction of travel or a license plate.  

DRUGS

Cody A. Smith, 18, of the 900 block of Shady Grove Lane, Buffalo Grove, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 9 on the 1000 block of North Buffalo Grove Road.

Shane R. Taylor, 18, of the 20500 block of North William Avenue, Prairie View, was charged with possession of marijuana at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 9 on the 1000 block of North Buffalo Grove Road.

Steven M. Wolf, 18, of the 20500 block of North Florence Avenue, Prairie View, was charged with possession of marijuana at 11:20 p.m. Nov. 9 on the 1000 block of North Buffalo Grove Road.

FOUND PROPERTY

A complainant dropped off to the police station a sealed cardboard box with the name Leggett and Pratt on it at 11 a.m. Nov. 10. The complainant stated that he found the box in the left turn lane on Dundee Road at Old Arlington Heights Road. The box was placed into property at the police headquarters. 

An officer found a black Nine West handbag in the roadway at 3 p.m. Nov. 11 at South Buffalo Grove Road and Old Oak Drive. The owner was contacted and advised to retrieve her property at police headquarters. 

IMPROPER SECURITY

An officer found an unlocked door at 6:50 a.m. Nov. 9 at business on the 300 block of Half Day Road. The interior was checked and no one was found inside. Everything appeared in order. The door was secured and an official was notified.  

While checking the mall at 6:50 a.m. Nov. 10, an officer found an unsecured door at a restaurant on the 100 block of McHenry Road. The interior was checked and no one was found inside and everything appeared in order. The alarm activated when officers entered the dining room. Officers secured the door. There was no official information on file. 

PROPERTY DAMAGE

A complainant reported d that while visiting a friend at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 10 on the 1400 block of Johnson Drive, his vehicle was struck by a golf ball that came from the Chevy Chase Golf Course. The rear window to his car was shattered. The complainant did not see the golfer. 

SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE/PHONE CALLS/NOISE

A resident of the 300 block of Parkview Terrace reported that she received a call at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 9 from a person claiming to be her grandson, and he needed $2,300 from her to pay a judge in Mexico for a DUI charge. When the resident requested further proof that he is her grandson, the caller was unable to do so. The resident told the caller to call back in 30 minutes, and she dialed 911. 

A resident of the 100 block of Hidden Lake Drive reported that a man kept knocking on the door and asking to be let in, while his 13-year-old son was home alone at 2:40 p.m. Nov. 9. When the son did not answer the door, the visitor left in a white van. The resident did not have a license plate. The area was checked with negative results. 

A resident reported that when he got off the school bus at 2:50 p.m. Nov. 9 at Checker Drive and Knight Hill Court, he saw a black four-door vehicle with the trunk of the car open. The driver got out and approached the resident. When the resident went up to a house and pretended to put in the garage door code, the driver got back into the car and drove off. No vehicle registration information was available. The officer advised the resident that officers will be in the area when the school bus arrives and that the school will also be notified.  

A resident of the 400 block of Newtown Drive reported knocking noises coming from her front door at 9:55 p.m. Nov. 10. Officers checked the perimeter of the house and found that the storm door on the front door had broken free from the house and was being blown around in the wind. 

THEFTS

A Beyer Dental employee reported that she left her iPhone on a counter at 6 p.m. Nov. 9, and when she returned to retrieve it, the phone was gone. The employee was advised to contact her cell provider and have them attempt to track the phone. 

A Hair Cuttery employee reported that $100 was taken out of her wallet, which was in her purse, which was hanging on a coat rack in the employee room between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Nov. 7. The employee stated that a number of new hires were training in the store. The employee stated that management discouraged her from making a police report because they were conducting an internal investigation. Another employee had her iPhone stolen on the same day. 

VANDALISM

A Buffalo Grove fire inspector reported that a village-owned vehicle parked in a lot on the 700 block of South Buffalo Grove Road was vandalized by someone using a black marker between 10 a.m. and noon Nov. 9. An expletive was written on the right rear quarter panel.