Piano Owner Scams Resident To Tune Of $400: Northbrook PD Blotter

NORTHBROOK, IL — The following information comes from the Northbrook Police Department and court records as a record of incidents reported to police and those arrested on criminal charges, which represent accusations by the state that are often dropped or reduced. Updated information may be available from the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Everyone arrested is presumed to be innocent unless found guilty in court beyond a reasonable doubt.

ARRESTS

SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE

• Kharee T. Hoskins, of Gurnee, is accused of having an expired registration, driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and was arrested at 7:37 p.m. March 16, at Lake Cook Road and Edens Expressway. A court date of April 5 was assigned.
• Arthur G. Bess III, of Riverwoods, is accused of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving while license suspended, and was arrested at 7:17 p.m. March 21, at Willow and Shermer roads. A court date of April 18 was assigned.

WARRANT SERVICE

On Jan. 16, a complainant old police her credit cards were stolen out of her gym locker at her fitness center. She later learned a woman had attempted to fraudulently purchase more than $19,000 at a retail store using the complainant's stolen credit cards. After a thorough investigation, police said Maria A. Vlasceanu, address unknown, was the offender. A warrant was obtained and she was arrested Wednesday. Police said Vlasceanu is also wanted for similar crimes in California, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

LAST WEEK'S BLOTTER: Scammer Gets $12K To Clear Porn Off Computer — Northbrook PD Blotter

INCIDENTS

THEFT

• A resident in the 2500 block of Cobblewood Drive reported at 8:43 p.m. March 15, he had ordered two iPhones and had them shipped to his house. When the box arrived, the box was damaged and the two phones were missing.
• A Cobblewood Drive resident reported at 9:24 a.m. March 19, she had sent someone a $500 deposit to move furniture and personal items to another location. The subject has ceased all communication with the complainant and refuses to give the money back.

IDENTITY THEFT

• An Oak Avenue resident called police at 2:55 p.m. March 16, to report someone had opened an account with AT&T using his name without his knowledge. The person had also bought an iPhone and had it attached to the account. The complainant contacted AT&T and told them the account was opened fraudulently and closed the account.
• A Highland Road resident called police at 3:06 p.m. March 16, to report in January, someone had intercepted a check that was issued to him from an insurance company and cashed it using his name in the amount of $8,000. He also had been locked out of his Chase and Citibank credit cards, as well as his PayPal account. On March 16, he was contacted by the Rosemont Police Department because they had someone in custody that had a fake driver’s license with the complainant’s information and fake credit cards. The Northbrook Police Department will be following up with Rosemont Police for identity theft charges.
• A Torrey Pines Parkway resident called police at 8:26 p.m. March 20, to report they had accidentally left their credit card at a restaurant in Wheeling. After realizing this, she noticed an unlawful charge on her credit card in the amount of $2,200 when someone posed as her to purchase something. The complainant quickly cancelled the credit card.

ONLINE SCAM

A resident of the 800 block of Colonnades Drive reported at 3:18 p.m. March 17, that they had responded to a posting on social media about a free piano. The owner of the piano said he needed $400 to cover the moving expenses, but the piano was free. The complainant sent the man $400, but the piano never showed up. After several excuses, the man stopped corresponding with the complainant.

BURGLARY TO VEHICLE

A resident of the 1000 block of Whitfield Road reported at 12:30 p.m. March 18, someone had broken into her unlocked 2022 white Hyundai and took several prescription medications that she left in the center console.

COMPUTER FRAUD

A Briarwood Lane resident reported at 4 p.m. March 18, someone had hacked into his airlines rewards account. The person changed the password and call back number. During the hack, the person stole 40,000 points toward an airline ticket.

RETAIL THEFT

• The staff of a beauty products store in the 900 block of Willow Road reported at 1:09 p.m. March 19, a male and female had walked into the store and started grabbing various fragrances for sale. The pair were reportedly concealing them inside bags. When the manager approached them, they stopped and quickly walked towards the exit. They fled in a black Chevrolet hatchback.
• The staff at a grocery store in the 700 block of Skokie Boulevard reported at 9:31 p.m. March 20, a male had come into the store inquiring where the diapers were located. After he was given directions, the man put a package of diapers, paper towels and various other items in a shopping cart. The staff noticed the subject pushing the cart out the doors without paying, but couldn’t see if he got into a vehicle or if he ran from the area.

FLEEING AND ELUDING

Police responded to the area of Lake Cook and Pfingsten roads at 4:42 p.m. March 20, where a stolen 2012 back Kia was seen driving. An officer found the vehicle traveling westbound on Lake Cook Road. The vehicle stopped in traffic at the tollway. The officers attempted to pull the vehicle over. While an officer was walking up to the vehicle, he could see three out of the four occupants were wearing ski masks. As soon as the officer got near their car, the driver quickly accelerated and rammed the vehicle in front of him. During their escape, the driver rammed a second vehicle and then fled the area at a high rate of speed. The victims of the accidents were not injured and had minor damages to their vehicles. Officers searched the area, but couldn’t find the vehicle that fled.

BANK FRAUD

The staff of a bank in the 1700 block of Shermer Road reported at 9:30 a.m. March 21, someone had come and withdrew $3,500 from a new account. The person completed the transaction and left with the money. The bank’s fraud department later learned the account was opened using fraudulent checks.