Craigslist Deal Gone Wrong Ends In Car Burglary: Cops

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A Craigslist deal ended badly after one of the parties smashed out the window of a minivan and grabbed a laptop computer that was part of the exchange, prosecutors said. Charles Cooper appeared before Cook County Judge John Mahoney on a felony charge of burglary. Cooper appeared in court wearing sunglasses.

Palos Heights police responded to a vehicle burglary in progress around 2:20 p.m. Feb. 19 at Hi-Tech Medical at 11824 Southwest Highway. The vehicle’s owner told police that he and Cooper had made a deal on Craigslist to swap a laptop in exchange for a 2002 Town and Country minivan. The prosecutor said that Cooper handed over the laptop and $50. The other party put the laptop in his car, then went back to work.

Cooper was spotted by a witness pulling his hoodie over his face and allegedly smashing the window of the other party’s car with a metal bar. The prosecutor said Cooper grabbed the laptop and drove away in the minivan. The witness called 911 and followed Cooper to 111th Street and Harlem Avenue. The minivan was stopped by Worth police. Cooper was the lone occupant of the vehicle and the laptop was found inside, the prosecutor said.

Mahoney released Cooper on a $10,000 I-bond. Cooper’s next court date is March 6 in Bridgeview.