Exploitation, Office Theft: Elmhurst Cops

ELMHURST, IL – In the last few days, Elmhurst police handled cases involving financial exploitation, office theft, a tree on fire, a battery, retail theft, porch piracy and an abandoned backpack, among other incidents. Here is information from the latest Elmhurst police reports:

Financial exploitation

• A resident in the 200 block of East Lake Street was reported Thursday to be the victim of financial exploitation of the elderly. An investigation is pending.

Office theft

• An employee left her purse unattended at her desk between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Friday at Elmhurst Center for Health, 1200 S. York St. After she returned to her desk, she discovered someone took several credit cards, her driver's license, cash and checks from her wallet. An investigation is pending.

Tree on fire

• An officer noticed a tree on fire about 11 p.m. Thursday at Bridges Transition Center, 407 S. Charles Road. Elmhurst firefighters put it out. The center is owned by Elmhurst School District 205.

Battery

• A man became upset and threw a plastic brochure holder at someone about 8:30 p.m. Sunday at Chipotle, 353 S. Route 83. The man was gone by the time officers arrived. An investigation is pending. The man was described as black, 25 to 35, 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, and wearing a blue baseball hat, light T-shirt and dark shorts.

Retail theft

• A man concealed three bottles of liquor in his waistband and stole them about 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Jewel, 153 Schiller St. In the parking lot, employees confronted the man, who gave up the bottles and headed west. Officers could not find the man. He was described as white, 18 to 25, 6-foot-1, having a short crew-cut hairstyle, and wearing a white surgical mask, a blue and white athletic jacket, gray jeans and white shoes.

Converter thefts

• Three catalytic converters were stolen from cars between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Elmhurst Hospital, 155 E. Brush Hill Road. Security footage shows two men in a white Ford Mustang convertible stealing the converters.

Falls

• A person fell while walking on the sidewalk about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of East May. The person was taken to Elmhurst Hospital.
• A man was tripped by his dog and fell onto the sidewalk about 8:30 a.m. Sunday in the 200 block of South Boyd Avenue. He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital.

Porch piracy

• Someone stole an Amazon package between noon and 5 p.m. July 16 in the 400 block of South Parkview. Amazon requested a police report to process a refund. The report was filed Friday.

Abandoned backpack

• A blue backpack was found about 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the parking deck, 149 N. Addison. Inside were a 15-pound dumbbell, rappelling rope and equipment, and writing utensils. The items were placed into evidence for safekeeping.

Theft

• A man left his car running about 10 a.m. Sunday and went into a store in the Ebel's Ace Hardware complex, 1028 S. York St. Upon his return, he found that someone entered his car and stole his sunglasses.

Bullet found

• A man told police Sunday that his son found a bullet on the porch about 5 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of North Oaklawn Avenue. It was determined that the bullet had been fired, but resulted in no damage to property. An investigation is pending.

Parking deck damage

• An officer found three fire extinguisher boxes damaged Sunday at the city parking deck at 175 W. First St. Public works was notified.

Identity theft

• A resident in the 600 block of Comstock Avenue told police Thursday that someone opened lines of credit in her name and tried unsuccessfully to access her account. The resident notified the credit bureaus of the activity. A hold was placed on her credit.