Phony Love Interest Scams Woman For $79,500: Morton Grove Crimes

MORTON GROVE, IL — The following information comes from the Morton Grove Police Department as a record of police activity. Readers are reminded that an arrest by the police does not constitute a finding of guilt, criminal charges — representing merely accusations by the state — are often dropped or reduced and all persons named are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

INCIDENTS

CAR BURGLARY
Someone stole $2 in change from a car parked in the 7000 block of Dempster Street on Feb. 28.

THEFT
Someone stole three packs of cigarettes from a gas station in the 9500 block of Waukegan Road on March 2.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE
Someone keyed the driver's side doors of a car parked in a driveway in the 5800 block of Lincoln Avenue, police were told on March 9.

THEFT
A resident told police on March 9 that he had accidentally left his iPhone and an attached wallet with several cards inside in a bathroom at a bowling alley in the 8500 block of Waukegan Road. He reportedly realized it was missing, went back to look for it and did not find it. When he tracked its location he found it had been taken to Chicago.

SCAM ATTEMPT
A resident in the 8400 block of Callie Avenue reported getting a call from a person claiming to work for the IRS and suggesting the resident owned the government money for unpaid taxes. The resident blocked the number and no money was lost.

THEFT
A resident of the 5900 block of Monroe Street was reportedly being tricked into giving money to a person that had expressed interested in her online, police were told on March 12. A woman had gone onto a dating website before receiving a call from an unknown man and speaking with him for a while. A few days later, the man asked her for $19,500 in order to pay for the "taxes" on a check he had received from work while in South Africa, claiming that he was unable to cash the check until paying taxes on it. The woman wrote six checks totaling the amount before he claimed he needed more for taxes. At this point, she made a $30,000 electronic fund transfer. Then he called again and said he needed money to pay the bill at a hospital he was in, so she transferred another $30,000. After getting that money, the man asked for another $40,000 because he was charged a "late fee" from the hospital. The woman's bank noticed the scam and froze the account.

ARRESTS

A 21-year-old Niles man was arrested on Feb. 28 and charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop in the area of Dempster and Washington streets.

Alejandro Torres, 23, of the 1800 block of Oak Park, Berwyn, was arrested on March 1 and charged with theft for allegedly stealing five gift cards as an employee of Amazon.

A 32-year-old Waukegan man was arrested March 2 and charged with driving with a revoked license following a traffic stop in the area of Dempster Street and Central Avenue.

A 25-year-old Evanston woman was arrested on March 2 and charged with driving while her license was suspended following a traffic stop in the area of Dempster Street and National Avenue.

A 20-year-old Chicago man was arrested March 4 in the 6000 block of Dempster Street and charged with speeding 64 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Edward Golaszewski, 62, of the 2000 block of Webster Lane, Des Plaines, was arrested March 4 and charged with retail theft for allegedly stealing a drill battery from Menards in the 6300 block of Oakton Street.

A 26-year-old Morton Grove woman was issued a village citation for disorderly conduct for kicking and damaging a door of her condo building in the 6300 block of Lincoln Avenue.

Lara E. Kingston, 34, of the 2600 block of Victor Avenue, Glenview, was arrested March 7 and charged possession of a controlled substance and no valid driver's license following a traffic stop in the area of Austin Avenue and Davis Street.

Maksykilian P. Czyz, 23, of the 6600 block of Church Street, Morton Grove, was arrested on March 8 in the 8800 block of Sayre Avenue and charged with driving under the influence. Police said it looked like he was chasing the car in front of him. He was later seen parking on a side street with his vehicle's tires partially up on a curb.

A 27-year-old Skokie man was arrested March 8 near the intersection of Central Avenue and Lake Street and charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop.

Kimberly Slingerland, 34, of the 10000 block of Holly Lane, Des Plaines, was arrested March 10 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop in the 8500 block of Ferris Avenue.

A 34-year-old Morton Grove man was pulled over for a traffic violation in the area of Dempster Street and Birch Avenue on March 12, found to be driving with a suspended license and arrested.

A 38-year-old Morton Grove man was arrested on March 12 and charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop in the area of Dempster Street and Fernald Avenue.

» Last month: Porch Pirate Search Warrant Turns Up Accused Meth Dealer: Morton Grove Police Blotter, Feb. 22 - March 1

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