Crime & Safety

Vacuums Leave Floor Through Store's Back Door

Here's this week's collection of items from suburban police blotters.

Serial Vacuum Villain Ready to Roomba

DOWNERS GROVE, Aug. 10—Two Roomba vacuums valued at $700 were reported missing from Bed Bath and Beyond, 1548 Butterfield Rd. A security investigator for the business told police a back door alarm sounded at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 8 and again at 6:41 p.m. Aug. 9, but no one was found in the area on both occasions. It was later discovered two vacuums were missing. The security investigator told police similar incidents recently occurred at the chain’s Oswego, Mount Prospect, Bolingbrook and Geneva stores.

Fist of Fury

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LA GRANGE, Aug. 9—A man told police his car was stopped at a traffic signal at Tilden and Shawmutt avenues at about 6:29 p.m. when a woman got out of her car and punched out his window. No reason was given. He followed her to Brookfield. He said her hand was bleeding. No arrest had been made as of 4 p.m. Aug. 10.

Thief's Speed Spoils Good Deed

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DOWNERS GROVE, Aug. 8—A Stihl leaf blower valued at $300 was taken from the front porch of a home in the 4500 block of Stanley Avenue between 3:40 p.m. and 3:50 p.m. A resident said he left the leaf blower on the porch to cut the neighbor’s backyard grass and returned to find the equipment missing.

Here's the Thing: Who Fences Tiny Bling?

ST. CHARLES, Aug. 7—More than $3,000 worth of 1950s-era doll jewelry was reported stolen on from a booth in Exposition Center at the Kane County Fairgrounds, according to police. A 2-foot-long Tupperware container with about 1,000 individually packaged items of jewelry, each with a value of about $1.50, was discovered missing. In two other separate reports, a $160 sterling silver necklace with turquoise stones and two, 12-inch geode rocks also were reported missing from the Exposition Center the same day.

Last Train to Carts-ville

DOWNERS GROVE, Aug. 6—A grocery cart valued at $75 was taken from the Downers Grove Farmer’s Market, 1000 Burlington Ave. around 11:45 a.m. Witnesses say the offender took the cart from the market and boarded an eastbound Metra train.

Were Expletive Deleted, Stroll Might have been Completed

ST. CHARLES, Aug. 6—Police said a man nearly walked in front of a police car as it was driving through the intersection of North Third and West Main streets. The man swore when the officer used his car horn. The officer stopped and said he was able to smell alcohol and see signs of intoxication. Christopher M. Kusek, 24, of 760 Manor Hill Pl., Sugar Grove, was cited for being drunk in public.

Time Flies When Your Car's Moving

LA GRANGE, Aug. 5—A 21-year-old Bridgeview man told police he was looking at his cellphone, then looked up as his Nissan Maxima hit the rear of the car in front of him, a Westchester woman’s 1999 Toyota Camry. Her car hit a Willowbrook woman’s 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier. The chain collision occurred at LaGrange Road and 47th Street at about 5 p.m. Ahmad N. Ramahi was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident

Car Burglar Needs Deeper Pockets

ST. CHARLES, Aug. 4—A homeowner whose Cadillac was burglarized found a wad of money totaling $7,500 on his tennis court, police reported. The car burglary reportedly happened sometime on the night of Aug. 3 or the morning of Aug. 4 in the 1300 block of Hampton Course Road. The owner, whose Cadillac was parked in his driveway, told police he found the contents of his car strewn about, with the car keys and owner's manual were missing. He told police he saw something on his tennis court and thought it might be the missing manual, but found $7,500 in cash, instead. Police suspect the money may be connected to a car burglary in Wayne, IL where $10,000 in cash was taken.

Want Bullets with that B.L.T.?

ELMHURST, Aug. 3—Police questioned and released a man found with a handgun at a sandwich shop in the 200 block of North York Road around 1:30 p.m. A woman at the restaurant with her kids reported seeing the man with a gun in his waistband. The man identified himself as a private detective and showed paperwork that allows him to carry the gun during certain hours related to his job. He was released without charges.

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