Unregistered Sex Offender Attempts To Roll Wheelchair Into Traffic: Northbrook Police 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

FORGERY

Sheila S. Young, of Chicago, had a warrant for felony forgery, and was arrested at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 30, in the 600 block of Academy Drive. Police said Young had intercepted a check in the mail that was issued by a Northbrook business to their vendor on Sept. 1, 2022. Young was able to forge her name to the check and change the payee amount to $9,589.10. A court date of Jan. 30 was assigned.

SUSPENDED DRIVER'S LICENSE

Fred Awa, of Chicago, is accused of having a suspended registration, driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and was arrested at 8:51 p.m. Jan. 31, at Dundee and Huehl roads. A court date of March 4 was assigned.

FAILURE TO REGISTER AS A SEX OFFENDER

Timothy J. McCarty, of Northbrook, is accused of failing to register as a sex offender, had two active arrest warrants for possession of a controlled substance (Cook County), obstructing justice (Lake County), and was arrested at 9:45 p.m. Feb. 2, at Dundee Road and Sutton Drive. According to police, McCarthy had been trying to drive his wheelchair in the traffic lanes of Dundee Road. When officers tried obtaining his name, they say McCarty initially provided a false name. Soon thereafter while talking to him, they learned his real name and about the warrants, and that he had failed to register as a sex offender. A court date was pending at the time of the report.

LAST WEEK'S BLOTTER: Resident Accused Of Hosting Underage Party With Alcohol: Northbrook Police Blotter

INCIDENTS

CREDIT CARD FRAUD

A resident reported at 12:41 p.m. Jan. 31, someone had made fraudulent purchases using her credit cards. Onn one of her credit cards, she found $5,300 worth of fraudulent purchases and the second credit card had $3,900 worth of fraudulent purchases. She cancelled both cards and is working with the credit companies to see how someone accessed the accounts.

STOLEN VEHICLE

An officer was flagged down at 5:15 p.m. Feb. 1, by two people saying their 2025 Toyota had been stolen. The complainant explained it was a loaner vehicle from the dealership while her own vehicle was there for service. After parking the 2025 Toyota in a parking lot, an unknown person stole it while they shopped. The complainant still had the key fob with her.

FLEEING AND ELUDING

• Police responded to the 1300 block of Adirondack Drive at 2:51 a.m. Feb. 2, for a report that two people were seen leaving the area at a high rate of speed. The white sedan had different license plates on it that didn’t match the vehicle. As the vehicle fled from the officers, it disobeyed a red light and drove over the median to elude the officers. The vehicle was last seen traveling southbound on the Edens Expressway.
• Police saw a red Dodge Charger traveling at a high rate of speed at 1:58 a.m. Feb. 3, at Dundee and Pfingsten roads. The officer measured the vehicle’s speed at 80mph in a 40mph zone. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled out of Northbrook and on to the tollway, disobeying the officer.

BURGLARY TO VEHICLES

Police checked the area of the 3000 block of Pawtucket Road and the 1300 block of Adirondack Drive, at 2:58 a.m. Feb. 2, after a vehicle fled from them to see if any criminal activity had taken place. Officers found a black Toyota Tundra with the dome light on. Nothing appeared to be missing, but the owner said he had left the doors unlocked while parked in front of his house. Officers located another vehicle that had been broken into. The victim’s 2025 Lincoln Aviator was found with its door slightly ajar. The victim said a bag containing his Apple laptop was stolen out of the vehicle.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

A resident in the 4400 block of Four Winds Lane reported at 9:44 a.m. Feb. 4, that her daughter's 2016 grey BMW had been stolen from their driveway and her 2019 white Cadillac was stolen from inside the garage during the overnight hours. The complainant said she believed their 2016 BMW was left unlocked with the key fob inside. Once the burglars got inside that vehicle, they were able to open the garage and steal the 2019 Cadillac, which was left unlocked with the key fob left inside.

ATTEMPTED BANK FRAUD

A complainant reported that on Feb. 3, someone had attempted to cash a $2,500 check while posing as him at bank in the 1000 block of Willow Road. He was made aware of the incident when the bank called his phone to verify it was him at their branch trying to cash the check. When he told them it wasn’t him, the person responsible was denied the transaction and left the bank. According to the bank staff, the person was attempting to utilize a fake passport and driver’s license to pose as the complainant.

BANK FRAUD

A Bayberry Drive resident reported at 1:44 a.m. Feb. 5, he had never received his payroll checks into his bank account. After checking with his direct deposit setup, he noticed someone changed the routing number and bank account in his direct deposit profile, and $650 had been illegally re-routed to another account in New Jersey. The complainant is working with his employer to stop any future deposits into that account.