Thieves Slice Into Golf Course Garage, Stealing Five Trimmers And Two Blowers: Wilmette Crimes

WILMETTE, IL — The following information comes from the Wilmette Police Department as a record of incidents reported to the police and those recently arrested. Readers are reminded that an arrest is not an indication of guilt and criminal charges are often dropped or reduced. All persons named are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

INCIDENTS

BURGLARY TO VEHICLE

Someone entered an unlocked vehicle in the 2900 block of Old Glenview Road and stole 12 fishing poles during the overnight hours of July 23-24

THEFT

A man stole a $25 fireplace screen from a sidewalk sale at the Heritage Trail Mall in the 400 block of Ridge Road at 5:30 p.m. on July 22. The suspect, described as a 25-year-old white man wearing red shorts and a blue shirt, reportedly got into his black Toyota Prius and drove away.

BURGLARY

Someone entered the Residences of Wilmette in the 600 block of Green Bay Road and stole several items between 2 p.m. on July 20 and 6:15 p.m. on July 21. Stolen items include an air compressor, impact saw, impact drill, 10 10-foot bits of half-inch copper piping and an undetermined quantity of 10-foot lengths of four-inch copper piping.

BURGLARY

Someone used a cutting tool to break into the maintenance garage at the Wilmette Golf Course, in the 3900 block of Fairway drive between 7:30 p.m. on July 19 and 5:20 a.m. on July 20. The burglar or burglars then stole five trimmers and two backpack blowers.

RETAIL THEFT

A person described as a white woman entered the CVS in the 1500 block of Sheridan Road around 6 p.m. on July 18 and stole an undetermined amount of merchandise before fleeing the store.

RETAIL THEFT

Two people, described as white men, stole about $2,900 worth of merchandise from the CVS in the 1500 block of Sheridan Road around 9:49 p.m. on July 18.

THEFT

Someone stole an unlocked, dark blue Raleigh mountain bike from the rack at Highcrest Middle School in the 500 block of Hunter Road between 6:15 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. on July 19.

CRIMINAL DEFACEMENT

Someone spray painted letters on the curb in the 500 block of Sheridan Road between 1 a.m. and 12 p.m. on July 19.

IDENTITY THEFT

A resident in the 300 block of Ridge Road reported that someone had gained access to her husband's Chase debit account and had used it to make multiple purchases, police were told at 6 p.m. on July 17.

IDENTITY THEFT

Someone gained access to the Bank of America debit account information of a resident in the 1100 block of Wilmette Avenue during business hours on July 18. The thieves made $280 in unauthorized purchases, police were told.

BURGLARY TO VEHICLE

Someone entered an unlocked vehicle in the 3600 block of Forest Avenue and rummaged through its glove box and center console between 10 p.m. on July 16 and 8:45 a.m. on July 17. Nothing was taken.

RETAIL THEFT

A person described as a white woman stole about $35 worth of food products from the CVS in the 1500 block of Sheridan sometime between 5:30 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. on July 17, police were told.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE

Someone scratched an “X” near the read driver’s side door of a vehicle parked in the 200 block of Millbrook Road.

ARRESTS

SUSPENDED LICENSE

A 59-year-old Evanston man was arrested shortly after 5 p.m. on July 23 in the 2400 block of Lake Avenue. After a traffic, police determined his driver's license had been suspended.

SPEEDING

A 27-year-old Chicago woman was arrested at 1:16 a.m. on July 23 in the 1900 block of Lake Avenue and charged with speeding after being stopped for allegedly driving 68 mph in a 30 mph zone.

RETAIL THEFT

Jennifer Mertz-Shea, 34, of the 3800 block of Kirk Street in Skokie, was arrested by detectives in connection with shoplifting incidents on July 17, when she allegedly stole $35 worth of food, and on July 18, when an undetermined amount of merchandise was stolen from the store.

WARRANT ARREST

Bernardo Blanco-Gonzalez, 52, of the 700 block of Hibbard Road was arrested at his listed address shortly after 9 a.m. on July 18 after police responded to a well-being check.

Stay Patched In!

• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Check out the Events Calendar for what’s going on
• Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Wilmette news
• iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app