Police Seek To Identify Suspects In Theft From Lake Forest Church

LAKE FOREST, IL — Police are asking the public for help identifying a pair of suspects in an identity theft case involving a theft from a Lake Forest church. Images released through Lake County Crime Stoppers Wednesday show two men that police say used credit cards stolen from Church of the Covenants on last month.

After credit cards were stolen out of the unattended wallets of two members of the pastor's family during morning prayer service on May 19, members of the congregation told investigators they remembered seeing a man they did not recognize at the nondenominational church at 350 E. Deerpath Road.

Congregants described the suspect as about 6 feet tall, between 185 and 200 pounds, wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans, according to police. Surveillance cameras captured images of a man matching that description shortly around 1:13 p.m. on the day of the theft using one of the two stolen cards at the Family Dollar store at 610 S. Genesee St. in Waukegan.

Later that night and the following day, a series of additional fraudulent charges were made using both stolen cards at gas stations, a grocery store and several stores at Gurnee Mills, police said.

Investigators believe a second suspect is involved in the theft, releasing images of a man with dreadlocks wearing a Chicago Bulls baseball-style jersey who police said was also seen using the American Express cards belonging to the pastor's family members.

Anyone with information about the incident was asked to contact Lake Forest police Det. Andy Shiu at 847-810-3974 or submit a tip anonymously to Lake County Crime Stoppers either online or by calling 847-662-2222.