Suspected ATM Skimmer Found, Ruse Burglars Deploy Walkie-Talkies: Niles Crimes

NILES, IL — The following information originates with the Niles Police Department as a record of police activities and of arrests made by the police. Readers are reminded that an arrest is not an indication of guilt, and criminal charges, which can be dropped or reduced, represent merely accusations. All persons named are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

INCIDENTS

FRAUD

At 5:11 p.m. on June 1, four people entered a store in the 5600 block of Touhy purporting to be customer service representatives from another store. They then instructed the cashier that they needed multiple store gift cards in $500 amounts. The clerk went along with their request and added about $2,068 to four cards. The investigation continues, police said.

RETAIL THEFT

Shortly after 3 a.m. on June 15, two men and a woman entered a store on the 9000 block of Greenwood and stole $30 worth of over-the-counter Tylenol and energy drinks before fleeing the store in a dark colored vehicle that had been parked in the street.

THEFT

Someone entered a locked garage area and stole a jet ski and a trailor from a condominium in the 8100 block of Courte sometime in the overnight hours of June 14. The investigation continues, police said.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

Someone using an ATM inside a business in the 8000 block of Milwaukee noticed a possible ATM skimmer device on the machine. Police seized the device, and the investigation continues.

THEFT FROM VEHICLE

Someone stole the license plates from a 2011 Jeep SUV on the 8000 block of Oriole in the overnight hours of June 13. The plates were entered into the state theft database.

ASSAULT

A man threatened to slap a person who was trying to reschedule an appointment with him at a medical office in the 8000 block of Milwaukee around 5:30 p.m. on June 14.

RETAIL THEFT

Around 8:40 p.m. on June 12, a caller at Golf Mill Center told police a man and woman entered the store and filled a card with energy drinks and two bottles of vodka, valued at $313.23. The pair are suspects in previous thefts and the investigation is ongoing, police said.

RETAIL THEFT

At 5:20 p.m. on June 13, an employee of a store in the 8900 block of Greenwood told police a man and woman entered the store and took $235 worth of packaged chicken and fled the store. The store's security guard recovered the items from the thieves in the parking lot, but they fled in a car.

THEFT

A patron of an ice rink in the 8400 block of Ballard discovered someone had stolen $200 from her wallet while she was away from the desk between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on June 12.

ATTEMPTED RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

Between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. on June 12, a resident on the 9800 block of Lauren Lane reported that a man approached him about doing fence repairs. While in the back of his home, the man was taking to someone else on a walkie talkie. While talking to the person he abruptly left and walked away. The victim stated nothing appeared to be missing, but some clothes on the floor of his closet were disturbed.

BURGLARY TO VEHICLE

A man discovered his parked 2008 Chevrolet Van was broken into in a parking lot in the 8600 block of Dempster between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on June 12. The lock was damaged and $4000 worth of tools were stolen. The investigation continues, police said.

ARRESTS

WARRANT ARREST

Mark B. Rihani, 21, of the 8800 block of Robin Drive in Des Plaines, was arrested June 10 at 7:12 p.m. at a fitness center in the 9200 block of Milwaukee after police found he had an active warrant for criminal trespass to vehicle from the Cook County Sheriff's Department that had been issued May 31.

DUI

Matthew A. Mercado, 25, of the 8000 block of Osceola, was arrested at 1:53 a.m. on June 14 in the 7700 block of Milwaukee, he was charged with DUI, and cited for speeding and failure to notify the Secretary of State of an address change. An officer explained and demonstrated standard field sobriety tests and Mercado showed signs of impairment. A breathalyzer was offered at Niles PD.

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