Crime & Safety

La Grange Police Charge 2 for Recent Bike Thefts

La Grange police announced today that they have charged Adam P. Potesak and Brent C. Carlson in connection with recent bike thefts.

announced this morning that it has arrested and charged two individuals in connection with recent bike thefts in the village.

Police charged Brent C. Carlson, 34, of the 600 block of north Park Avenue in La Grange Park, with residential burglary and possession of burglary tools. Also charged is Adam P. Potesak, 27, of the 3400 block of Cuyler Avenue in Berwyn, with one count of felony theft and criminal damage to property.

Carlson and Potesak were arrested in unrelated incidents.

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According to police, Carlson was seen on Aug. 6 at Stone Avenue Station looking at bicycles. Police surveillance of Carlson led them to the 500 block of south Park Avenue where police said he removed a bicycle from an open garage. Carlson is currently being held at Cook County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

. La Grange Park police arrested him in October 2010, after he was seen on home video survelliance stealing a bike from a garage on the 800 block of north Stone Avenue.

Find out what's happening in La Grangewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In the other incident, Potesak was arrested a few days later on Aug. 9 after he was also observed at Stone Avenue Station looking at bicycles. Police watched Potesak as he walked to La Grange Road Station, where he used bolt cutters to cut the lock off a bicycle as a Metra train was approaching. Potesak was arrested at the scene and charged with one felony count of theft and criminal damage to property.

Police said that Potesak resisted being taken into custody, so he was also charged with resisting arrest. He is currently being held in Cook County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

According to police, more than 20 bicycles have been stolen since the end of May in La Grange and that this trend is being seen in other communities along the Metra tracks. Carlson and Potesak were the primary suspects in the majority of the recent thefts, police said. Three bikes have been found and returned to their owners.

Police are reminding residents who use their bike to commute for work to get them registered with the police department and to purchase good locks for protection. The majority of the thefts involving stolen bikes in La Grange had locks that were easily defeated.

For more information about protecting your bike, take a look at this , and this .


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