Man Charged with Theft for Taking Manhole Covers from Forest Park Alleys

Thieves steal copper downspouts, wiring and piping for scrap metal—they even steal the brass picture frames at cemeteries.

But last week, someone was stealing manhole covers from alleys in Forest Park.

Police apprehended and charged Leon Jackson, 40, of Bellwood, on Dec. 8 with felony theft for taking the items from alleys in the village.

"This [type of theft] is a first for us," Dep. Chief Tom Aftanas said.

Bail has been set at $10,000, and Jackson is due to appear Thursday in Maybrook Court.

At 8:25 a.m. this past Saturday, police were dispatched to the alley in the 600 block of Elgin Avenue after a resident reported a theft. An eyewitness told police a man wearing dark clothing was seen placing the sewer cover inside a maroon-colored station-wagon like vehicle, which then took off south toward Lehmer in the alley between Elgin and Marengo avenues.

Police scoured the area, and eventually spotted a maroon-colored Jeep going north in the alley between Ferdinand and Lathrop avenues. An officer parked his vehicle on Lehmer to keep Jackson from fleeing, police said.

When police ordered Jackson out of his car, they noticed his clothing was covered in mud and dirt and saw numerous round and rectangular sewer covers laying on a blanket behind the front seat.

On inspecting Jackson's car, they found muddied black gloves on the front passenger seat and a tire iron behind the front driver's seat, police said. Police said a muddied right hand glove was found on Jackson.

The covers had been stolen from:

• One from the 600 block of Ferdinand Avenue;
• One from the 600 block of Marengo Avenue;
• Two from the 600 block of Thomas Avenue;
• Four from the 600 block of Elgin Avenue.

The village was able to get those back, police said. As many as five others that had been taken were replaced, said John Doss, Forest Park's public works director.

So far the village has not been able to ascertain where another four covers found in his car came from.

After Forest Park brought in Jackson for questioning, authorities from neighboring communities came in to ask him about similar thefts in their towns, Aftanas said.

So far Jackson has refused to cooperate with authorities.

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