Elmhurst Police Reports Reveal So Many Ways to Steal

Retail Theft Arrest

Lachonda Henderson, 36, 1683 Island View Court, Hoffman Estates, was arrested and charged with retail theft after she allegedly took clothing off a rack at Kohl's, 303 S. Route 83, left the store without paying, then returned the items for store credit. She also was found to have a warrant out of Cook County for violation of probation. She was taken to DuPage County Jail.

Identity Theft

A suspect in a white Cadillac Eldorado attempted to cash forged checks from a Harris Bank checking account at several different branch locations around 3:30 p.m. May 23. The owner of the checking account was contacted by a representative of Harris, who said the suspect was attempting to cash a check for $3,200. The check was denied and the clerk was able to get a copy of the suspect's state ID. Police are following up.

'Relative Needs Money' Scam

A resident of the 700 block of North Eastland told police he received a phone call from a younger-sounding man at 9:30 a.m. May 25. The man, who identified himself as the resident's grandson, told him he was in Mexico City, had gotten married, was involved in a car accident and needed $1,900 via Western Union. The victim suspected this was a scam, so he did not send any money. He called his daughter, who told him his grandson is in Michigan.

Theft

Someone took an unlocked, lime green Haro BMX bicycle that was parked between two trees on the 100 block of South York Road between 3:55 and 5 p.m. May 18.

Two unlocked 26-inch mountain bikes were taken from the basement of an apartment building on the 200 block of South West Avenue. One was taken between 9 p.m. May 18 and 9 a.m. May 19, and the other between noon May 11 and 1:04 p.m. May 19.

A witness saw two skinny men in dark clothes inside a vehicle on the 300 block of North Oak Street at 12:53 a.m. May 21. They reportedly took a Garmin GPS unit worth $139.

A landscaping manager told police someone broke off a lock and pried open a trailer that was hitched to a white pickup truck at Mt. Emblem Cemetery, 520 W. Grand Ave., between 5:30 p.m. May 24 and 6:06 a.m. May 25. Taken were five weed whackers, one leaf blower, one tank of gas and a backpack full of tools. Total loss is estimated at $2,350.

Someone smashed out the passenger side window of a locked vehicle parked on the 300 block of North Route 83 between 1:30 and 8 a.m. May 25 and removed a $500 Cannon EOS digital camera from the front passenger floor. Damage to the window is estimated at $300.

Someone entered a detached garage on the 100 block of East Butterfield between 10 p.m. May 20 and 12:38 p.m. May 25 and removed two window air conditioners and a compact Kenmore refrigerator.

A 3-foot diameter trampoline was taken from a back yard on the 300 block of East Crescent between 11 p.m. May 26 and 1:50 p.m. May 27. Loss is estimated at $25.

Televisions were taken from the basement and master bedroom of a home on the 100 block of East St. Charles Road between 3:30 p.m. May 25 and 4:20 p.m. May 28. The homeowner's daughter told police she gave a party while her family was out of town. An investigation is pending.

A man picked up a female at Spring and Butterfield roads and gave her a ride because "he felt sorry for her" at 10:21 a.m. May 29, police said. When the woman asked him for a "date," he kicked her out of the car at the 7-Eleven parking lot on the 500 block of South York Road. The man went in the store for a couple of minutes, and when he came out his prescription bottle was missing from the glove compartment. The suspect was not located.

Someone removed several flowers that were in a container on the front porch of a home on the 500 block of North Emroy at 1:34 p.m. May 31. Loss is estimated at $200.

Someone removed $60 from a purse at a home on the 800 block of South Poplar around 10:40 p.m. May 31. The victim suspects a Comcast employee who was in the home at the time.

Patch reports on law enforcement activity using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to contact karenc@patch.com and we will do follow-up reporting on the case.