Shoplifter In Prius Steals Over $4,600 In Electronics: Blotter

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — The following information comes from the Highland Park and Highwood police departments and public records as a record of incidents reported to the police and of those arrested by police. Criminal charges represent accusations by the state that are often dropped or reduced. Updated information may be available from the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Everyone arrested is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

INCIDENTS

CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT
On the afternoon of July 29, Park District of Highland Park staff reported damage to two wooden structures at lower Rosewood Beach in the 800 block of Sheridan Road. Someone had carved the message, "you will die" and various unidentified characters on one wall, while various names were found scratched into another wall. Police were told the damage probably took place between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on July 20.

RETAIL THEFT
Someone stole nearly $4,630 worth of cell phones and tablets that were in display at the Target, 2099 Skokie Valley Road, after cutting the security cords with pliers and fleeing in a black Toyota Prius. No description was provided.

PACKAGE THEFT
Eight packages were reported stolen from the common vestibule area of a building in the 600 block of Central Avenue between July 11 and July 28. The value of the stolen items was not known at the time of the report.

LOCKER THEFT
Someone stole three credit cards from a locker at a business in the 100 block of Skokie Valley Road (An LA Fitness gym is located at 115 Skokie Valley Road.) between 8:36 and 10:05 a.m. on Aug. 2. It was not known if the locker was locked at the time. One of the credit cards was later used to buy a laptop for nearly $2,365 at a Best Buy store in Northbrook. A second attempted purchase was declined after the cards' owner canceled them.

STOLEN CAR
Someone stole a black 2018 Audi Q7 from a driveway in the 1400 block of Sherwood Road during the night of July 31 or early morning hours of Aug. 1 after it was left unlocked with the keys inside. An identity card, multiple pairs of sunglasses, car keys and an iPass were reported stolen. The car had not been recovered as of Aug. 2.

CAR BURGLARIES

• A wallet with credit cards and cash was stolen from a Subaru left unlocked in the 200 block of Aspen Lane between 7 p.m. July 27 and 6 a.m. July 28. The stolen cards were not reported to have been used.
• In what may have been a related even, someone burglarized an unlocked Volkswagen in the 100 block of Aspen Lane between 6:30 p.m. July 27 and 7:04 p.m. July 28, stealing a radar detector of unknown value.
• A Jeep and a Mercedes-Benz parked in the 2200 block of Hybernia Drive were burglarized during the night of July 31 or early morning hours of Aug. 1, with a bag containing a $250 graphing calculator stolen from the Jeep and nothing reported missing from the Mercedes. There was no sign of forced entry.
• Someone burglarized an unlocked Porsche in a driveway in the 1400 block of Sunnyside Avenue sometime during the night of July 31 or early morning hours of Aug. 1. A garage door opener was stolen, and it appeared someone had rummaged through the glove compartment and center console.

ARRESTS

Raiza Yahayra Vargaz, 23, of the 200 block of Burchell Avenue, Highwood, was arrested around midnight on the night of July 27 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater after police were dispatched to the area just east of Clavey Road and Skokie Valley Road. Officers were told where Vargaz had struck the median while involved in physical fight with one of the passengers in his car.

A 20-year-old Skokie man was arrested shortly before midnight on July 31 and charged with driving 35 mph or more above the speed limit and no driver's license on his person following a traffic stop near Skokie Valley Road and Park Avenue West.

Ulrich Jeanty Jr., 31, of the 200 block of Walker Avenue, Highland Park, was arrested around 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 1 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and speeding more than 35 mph above the limit following a traffic stop in the 200 block of the Edens Expressway. He was also issued citations for following too closely and improper lane usage.

Alejo Magana-Mendez, 38, of the 5200 block of South Wood Street, Chicago, was arrested around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 2 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of alcohol with breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater and issued a citation for illegal transportation of an open container of alcohol after officers on patrol stopped to help a driver parked on the shoulder in the 2300 block of Skokie Valley Road with hazards on.

Earlier: Porch Pirates Return To Same Block 5 Times In 2 Weeks; House, Car Struck In Overnight Egging; 2 Cars Stolen; Chicago Man Charged With Interfering With Officer, DUI: Highland Park Police Blotter, July 20 to July 26

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