Blotter: A Bad Santa, but Crime Largely Takes a Holiday

Bad Santa

A man with a white beard, wearing a Santa hat and, “smoking something,” was reported at about 3:39 p.m. Dec. 20 sitting in a white van on the 300 block of south Kensington Avenue and shouting, “Ho! Ho! Ho! I’m watching you” to a group of children. The call came 20 minutes after the sighting and police said the vehicle was gone when they arrived.

Man Dies in ER

A man in his 50s was dead on arrival in the emergency room of  Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital at about 6:21 a.m. Dec. 21 after going into full cardiac arrest at the UPS facility in Hodgkins, according to La Grange police.

Drug-related Charge

Bo Birkeland, 20, of 316 S. Eighth Avenue was arrested for possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana after La Grange police said they saw him walking near 47th Street and Sixth Avenue at about 2:40 a.m. Dec. 21 wearing all-dark clothing and a backpack.

Wallet Taken Out of Purse

A Hickory Hills woman told La Grange police at about 6:24 p.m. Dec 20 that a man took her wallet out of her purse while she was in Danico’s, 42 S. LaGrange Road. The man was wearing a black jacket, gray sweatshirt and a hat, and last was seen walking west on Harris Avenue from LaGrange Road with a female wearing a white jacket and glasses.  

Fraudulent Check Suspected

La Grange police said they are investigating a call at about 9:49 a.m. Dec. 21 from a resident of the 100 block of East Avenue who said a man was at his house trying to scam his daughter with a fraudulent check. The man and daughter were to go to the bank to cash or deposit the check. There was no loss, police said Dec. 22.

Two Talking to Girls

Two males in a white van were reported driving near Washington and Cossitt avenues at about 2:54 p.m. Dec. 21 talking to 13-year-old girls walking down the street, a caller told La Grange police. Their vehicle last was seen going north on Washington. The driver was wearing a black hat.

Vehicle Hits Parked Car

A 38-year-old La Grange Park woman came to the La Grange police station at about 2:55 p.m. Dec. 20 to report she just struck a car parked at Dover and Arlington avenues. The report did not indicate whether she was ticketed.

Van Circling Area

A white van with a ladder on it was reported circling the 300 block of La Grange Road, Sixth and Seventh avenues at about 9:55 a.m. Dec. 20.

Patch reports on law enforcement activity in our towns, 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 notify the editor of this Patch site, matthew@patch.com, and we will do follow-up reporting on the case.