Thieves Enter Home Through Garage Door Opener In Unlocked Car: Lake Forest Crime Reports

LAKE FOREST, IL — The following information comes from the Lake Forest Police Department as a record of those arrested by police. Readers are reminded that an arrest is not an indication of guilt and criminal charges, which represent merely accusations by the state, are often dropped or reduced. All persons named are innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

INCIDENTS

CAR BURGLARIES

Lake Forest Police received multiple reports on Sept. 30 of vehicles burglarized and items stolen in the area of Wedgewood Drive and Littlefield Court. Residents reported that wallets, credit cards and currency was stolen from vehicles parked in driveways and left unlocked. No suspects have been identified at this time.

The Lake Forest Police Department reminded all residents to remove purses, wallets, keys, key fobs, and other valuables from their cars and lock the cars. These small steps will deter current and future criminal activity in town.

STOLEN VEHICLE

On Oct. 12 at 4 a.m., a resident in the 500 block of Deerpath Road reported a 2017 Mercedes SUV had been stolen from inside an attached garage. Officers learned the suspects had entered an unlocked car parked in the driveway and been able to get into the garage using a door opener left in the car. Inside the garage, the thieves found the Mercedes unlocked with the keys left inside. Police that the thieves tried to steal a second vehicle that was left in the garage that also had the keys inside but were only thwarted because another car was parked in its way. Police found the stolen SUV a few hours later in a parking lot in Hammond, Indiana.

ARRESTS

A 22-year-old Beach Park man was pulled over for speeding at Route 41 and Gauge Lane on Sept. 29 and arrested. Police said he was travelling 83 mph in a 55 mph zone. After speaking with the driver, police determined his license was suspended and smelled marijuana coming from inside the car. Police found a small amount of cannabis and a pipe inside the car, and the driver was arrested and charged driving while license suspended, speeding and issued a citation for cannabis possession.

An 18-year-old Beach Park man was arrested on Oct. 1 at 1:21 a.m. after police were called to Lake Forest College to assist campus security after they encountered non-student campus in possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia. Police spoke with the man, and found he had a small bag containing a glass pipe and a small amount of marijuana. He was arrested and issued citations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A 23-year-old Wauchula, Florida woman was arrested on Oct. 8 at 3 a.m. and charged with driving with a suspended license. An officer on patrol stopped a 2012 Toyota at Old Elm and Buena roads after noticing it breaking a traffic law and found the driver had a suspended license.

Jose Contreras, 26, of the 2700 block of South Homan Avenue in Chicago was arrested on Oct. 9 at 7:57 p.m. and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and without a valid license. Police pulled him over in a 2008 Pontiac for an equipment violation, and noticed he had open alcoholic drinks in the car and was showing signs of intoxication. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, no valid driver's license and transportation of open alcohol.

Last week: Arrest Over Stolen Golf Tickets; On-Campus Crash Leads To DUI, Drugs Charges: Sept. 16 - Sept. 28

Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Check out the Events Calendar for what’s going on
• Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Lake Forest and Lake Bluff news
• iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app
• Like the Lake Forest Patch on Facebook