Doubt Cast On $26K Theft At Burr Ridge Gym

BURR RIDGE, IL — A man who reported that $26,000 worth of items was stolen from his locker at a Burr Ridge gym told officers that insurance would cover some of the items, according to a police report. An officer's report cast doubt on at least part of the man's story.

Patch obtained the full report on the incident through a public records request. According to the report, the 29-year-old man said he showed up in the locker room about 5:30 p.m. March 1 at Lifetime Fitness.

He said he had just gone shopping and was carrying a Best Buy shopping bag containing two MacBook Pros totaling nearly $5,200 and two Apple Watches totaling nearly $860.

The man also said he had a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date watch valued at $16,000 and a gold link chain with a cross valued at $4,200 in locker No. 95. When he returned to his locker, the items were missing, he told the officer. The man said he was positive he locked the locker, but does not know if anyone was watching him input the code. He said the jewelry was insured, so he would make a claim to get reimbursed.

Two days later, the officer reviewed the surveillance footage at Lifetime and did not see the man bring a Best Buy bag into the locker room, the report said. Asked about that, the man responded that he was carrying the bag inside his gym bag. He said he believed someone in the locker room saw the Best Buy bag inside his gym bag while he was changing.

The officer said he also did not see anyone in the video leaving the locker room with a Best Buy bag.

The man declined to sign a complaint and just wanted his belongings back, the report said. The case was closed because the victim refused to sign a complaint, police said.

A spokeswoman for the Lifetime Fitness chain said the company only found about the $26,000 theft Wednesday. That was the day after Patch posted its first story about it. She said the man filed no complaint with Lifetime.

"We have concern over the details," spokeswoman Amy Williams said in an interview. "There is no damage to the locker. We have started collaborating with the detective and will continue to do so. As with any reported matter, we take it seriously."

Patch has left a message with the the police officer.