Theft Reports and a Message to Residents from Elmhurst Police: 'We Are Happy to Meet With You'

Elmhurst police are stepping up efforts to work with the Elmhurst community to tackle crime. Police Chief Dominic Panico sent a letter to Elmhurst residents Tuesday morning asking for their help—and ideas—as the department continues to make crime prevention a priority.

"We are seeking your support in preventing and responding to crime," the letter states. "Police officers are available to share ideas about how to be a good witness, how to identify suspicious activity and how to prevent or minimize crimes such as retail theft, financial crimes and burglaries to homes, garages and motor vehicles."

The letter asks for "feedback and support for this important community safety initiative."

"We are happy to meet with residents or businesses to discuss ideas on crime prevention," Panico writes.

For more information, residents are asked to call Officer Joan Velez at (630) 530-3050.

Following are theft-related incidences reported by Elmhurst police between June 20 and July 8.

Attempted Burglary

A resident of the 100 block of West Butterfield told police she found pry marks on her condo apartment door at 1:10 p.m. July 2. No entry was gained.

Theft Arrests

Two people were arrested after police said they were seen taking two Memory Foam pillows and other items from Kohl's, 303 S. Route 83, at 9:21 p.m. June 25. Michael Savoia, 37, 100 E. George St. Apt. 100, Bensenville, and Amy Rodriguez, 27, 8350 W. Berwyn Second Floor, Chicago, allegedly damaged one of the pillow's boxes, then took it to the service desk and asked to exchange it for another, police said. They then placed "numerous" other items from the store into their bag and left without paying, police said. They were charged with retail theft and released on bond.

John Johnson, 35, 1236 N. Asbel, Berkeley, was arrested and charged with attempted burglary and possession of burglary tools after police said he was seen attempting to enter parked cars in the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital parking lot, 155 W. Brush Hill, at 12:52 a.m. June 27. He was located on Butterfield Road west of Bryan Street with a hammer and two screwdrivers. Police also discovered a door lock on a vehicle in the parking lot was punched. Johnson was taken to DuPage County Jail.

Krystal D. Smith, 26, 1143 David Drive, Bensenville, was arrested and charged with retail theft from Kohl's, 303 S. Route 83, at 5:40 p.m. July 5. Police caught up with her as she was leaving the scene with her two young daughters in her black Infiniti. One of the daughters was carrying a backpack full of items that were taken from the store, police said. In addition to the theft charge, Smith was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and driving without a license. She was released on bond and given a no-trespass notice.

Theft

Someone took a blue CG BMX bike from a driveway of a home on the 400 block of South Prospect between 9 p.m. June 19 and 8:30 a.m. June 20.

Someone in a red SUV pulled into a rear lot on the 100 block of West Armitage at 5 p.m. June 23 and dumped items from inside the vehicle onto the pavement. The suspect, a white male with reddish-colored hair, also left registration paperwork from the SUV in the lot. The officers ran the information through the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System, and the vehicle was found to be stolen out of Melrose Park. The items that were dumped were inventoried and packaged, and given to the Cook County evidence technician.

The owner of Rosati's Pizza, 687 N. York, told police at 12:15 a.m. June 25 that someone took $257 from the restaurant. The cash was left on top of a cash drawer unattended.

Someone stole an unlocked bicycle from the rack at York High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, between 9:45 a.m. and 11:45 p.m. June 25.

Someone shattered the passenger side window of a Lexus LX 470 that was parked at 150 E. Schiller between 3 p.m. June 22 and 10 a.m. June 25 and removed a black Garmin GPS worth $400 from the center storage area.

Someone took a $150 maroon, 24-inch Schwinn mountain bike from the bike rack on the west side of the athletic complex at York High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. June 26. The lock was missing as well.

Someone cut the catalytic converter off the bottom of a work truck parked at Louvers International, 847 N. Church Road, between 2:30 p.m. June 22 and 10:30 a.m. June 25. Loss is estimated at $350.

Someone took an unlocked, black Trek mountain bike from the bike rack along the west side of the athletic building at York High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, between 9:45 a.m. and noon June 27.

Someone stole a toolbox from a trailer at Rotating Equipment, 421 W. Wrightwood Ave., between 4:30 p.m. June 21 and 1:15 a.m. June 27.

Someone stole a purse containing an iPhone, checks and identification from a vehicle parked in Chicago, then used one of the checks to open a membership at the Elmhurst YMCA at 2:38 p.m. June 27.

Someone took a black Motorola Matrix 2 smart phone worth $500 from Butterfield Park between 6 and 6:45 p.m. June 27.

A black Mitsubishi Lancer was taken from the dealership parking lot at X Motorsport Inc., 530 W. Grand, at 8:49 p.m. June 27.

Two victims told police someone had smashed the windows of their vehicles, which were parked on the 100 block of South Route 83, between 9 and 9:45 a.m. June 28. A black handbag containing a drivers license and credit cards were taken from one vehicle, and a purse with nothing of value inside was taken from the other. Estimated loss and damage for each incident is $280.

Surveillance at York High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, revealed two unknown subjects taking two unlocked bikes off the bike rack at 9 a.m. June 28 and riding off.

Someone punched out a lock on a van parked on the 100 block of East Brush Hill Road between 6:30 p.m. June 23 and 7:30 p.m. June 26 and stole tools totaling about $2,000.

A man and a woman were seen on surveillance taking several bottles of Ciroc vodka from Dominick's, 205 S. Route 83, at 5:26 p.m. June 27. Total loss is $800.

Someone stole a $525 bicycle that was locked to the bike rack near the train station on the 100 block of East First Street between 8:35 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. June 29.

Three commercial vending machines worth $3,000 to $3,600 were damaged after someone stole coins from them between 8:15 p.m. June 30 and 8:30 a.m. July 1. 

Someone stole a blue 10-speed bike worth $100 that was parked near the athletic building at York High School, 355 W. St. Charles Road, between 7:30 and 10:15 a.m. July 2.

A man told police while having a "get-together" at around 1 p.m. June 30 at Extended Stay America, 550 W. Grand Ave., someone stole his black Apple iPhone 4G. He attempted to search two suspects as they were leaving, but one of them began to fight him.

Someone stole about $2,500 worth of tools and other items from a GMC Savana with Michigan registration that was parked in the lot at Courtyard by Marriott, 370 Route 83, between 8 p.m. July 2 and 7:30 a.m. July 3. The locks on the passenger front and rear door were punched.

A leaf blower worth $50 was taken from a shed on the 300 block of Yorkfield sometime between June 25 and 7:43 p.m. July 3.

Several vehicles were broken into at Larry Roesch Chrysler, 200 W. Grand, between 9 p.m. July 3 and 6 a.m. July 6. The windows of the three vehicles were smashed entertainments systems were taken.

Some $1,200 worth of Oxycodone was stolen from a storage cabinet at Advance Pain Consultants, 321 N. York Road, between 1 and 3 p.m. July 2. The office was closed that day due to a power outage, but they received notice from patients who said the office doors were unlocked.

Someone removed a full-sized spare tire worth $200 from the 100 block of West Brush Hill between 12:15 and 1:15 p.m. July 8.

Someone entered a garage on the 200 block of Forest Avenue between 6 p.m. July 6 and 5:30 p.m. July 8 and removed a blue Novara Portal bicycle.

Identity Theft

Someone made five charges totaling $839.10 on a US Bank credit card belonging to a resident of the 200 block of Indiana between May 29 and June 5. The money was deposited in a Paypal account in California.

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.