Fake Chinese Police Scam Resident Out Of $38,000: Blotters

The following information comes from the Glencoe, Northfield, Wilmette and Winnetka police departments as a record of police activity and incidents reported to the police. Criminal charges represent merely accusations by the state and are often dropped or reduced. Updated information may be available from the Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court. Anyone arrested is innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

GLENCOE

INCIDENTS

POSSESSION OF STOLEN CAR
Someone brought a stolen vehicle into a car dealership in the 2000 block of Frontage Road for an appraisal. Police were still investigating the incident at the time of the report.

SHOPLIFTING
Someone stole several pieces of clothing valued at about $600 from an unspecified business in the 300 block of Park Avenue at some point prior to 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 28.

UNLAWFUL USE OF A CREDIT CARD
A Sylvan Road resident reported on the evening of Dec. 28 that someone had used their credit card information to unsuccessfully attempt to make a $413.76 purchase in Texas.

SOLICITING
A resident in the 100 block of Harbor Street reported an unlicensed solicitor around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 28. Officers did not find any solicitors when they arrived.

STOLEN CAR
Someone stole an unlocked 2011 Cadillac from the first block of Lakewood Drive prior to 6 a.m. on Jan. 4. The keys had been left in side.

ELECTRONIC HARASSMENT

• A Westley Road resident reported on the night of Dec. 30 that someone had sent them threatening text messages but they did not wish to press charges.
• A Green Bay Road resident reported around noon on Jan. 2 that someone had repeatedly called them and sent them emails and text messages.

LAWN DAMAGE

• Someone caused less than $500 in damage to a lawn in the 1000 block of Sheridan Road, but the lawn's owner did not want to press charges.
• Someone drove a car across a lawn in the 100 block of Hawthorn Avenue prior to 2 p.m. on Jan. 4, causing less than $500 in damage.

IDENTITY THEFTS

• An American Express card belonging to a Greenwood Avenue resident was found in the possession of a person arrested by Elmhurst police in connection with an investigation into deceptive practices.
• Someone used the identity of a Longwood Avenue resident to accrue more than $1,800 in debts disputed by the resident prior to the morning of Jan. 7.

ARRESTS/CITATIONS

Shenita N. Myles, 38, of the 5200 block of West Potomac Avenue, Chicago, was arrested around 8:15 p.m. on Dec. 26 and charged with identity theft, unlawful possession of fake identification, possession of fake identification to commit fraud and obstructing identification following an incident in the 2000 block of Frontage Road.

Calvin J. Martin, 21, of the 900 block of Vernon Avenue, Glencoe, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. on Dec. 28 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater following a traffic stop near the intersection of Drexel and Vernon avenues. He was also issued an expired registration citation.

Steven B. Cohen, 73, of the 500 block of Drexel Avenue, Glencoe, was arrested around 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or greater following a crash near the intersection of Frontage and Tower roads. He was also issued citations for disobeying a traffic control sign and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.

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NORTHFIELD

INCIDENTS

RANSOMWARE
Staff at the Nothshore Senior Center, 161 Northfield Road, reported around 4 p.m. on Dec. 23 that someone had hacked the center's computer system and demanded a ransom for it to be unlocked. Information technology staff managed to restore the system, and administrators asked police to document the incident.

NOT THEFT
A Glencoe resident called police on Dec. 30 to report their suspicions that staff at a Northfield nail salon had stolen their wedding ring two days earlier. The same resident contacted police on Jan. 5 to notify them the ring was found in a jacket pocket.

HARASSMENT
An attorney in the 500 block of West Frontage Road contacted police on the morning of Dec. 30 to report unwanted repeated communications from the fiancée of a former client. Officers spoke to the fiancée, who agreed to leave the lawyer along.

IDENTITY THEFT
On the evening of Jan. 2, a Grove Drive resident reported unauthorized credit card activity and withdrawals from a checking account.

STOLEN CAR
Someone stole a 2018 Audi from the 200 block of Lockwood Avenue during the overnight hours of Jan. 4 to Jan. 5, police were told. Police did not say if the car was locked or if keys were left inside.

ARRESTS/CITATIONS

A 32-year-old Chicago man was arrested around 8 a.m. on Dec. 23 and charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop near the intersection of Willow Road and Forestway Drive. He was also issued a disobeying a stop sign ticket.

WILMETTE

INCIDENTS

PACKAGE THEFTS

• A resident in the 3100 block of Cranston Court reported on Dec. 27 that someone stole a package from their porch containing wireless headphones.
• A resident in the 2000 block of Beechwood Avenue reported home surveillance video footage showed a thief in a hoodie stole a package from their doorstep around 4 a.m. on Jan. 1.

JEWELRY THEFT
A resident in the 1000 block of New Trier Court reported on Dec. 27 that three pieces of jewelry went missing from the home since June 2019.

PHONE SCAM
A Pin Oak Drive resident was scammed out of $38,000 between Nov. 19 and Dec. 28 after being contacted by people purporting to represent police in Beijing, China. The scammers convinced the resident to send photos of a passport, Chinese identification card, social security number and banking information through Facebook's WhatsApp messaging application.

IDENTITY THEFT
A Hunter Road resident reported on Dec. 28 that someone had used their identity to open an account with a cell phone company and attempt to open up another account. Thieves also used the resident's American Express credit card number on Dec. 5 and Visa credit card number on Dec. 6 to make various online purchases.

STOLEN CAR FOUND
A Kenilworth police officer reported around 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 31 that he had just tried to stop a car registered to a Wilmette resident. Two male occupants fled the car, jumping into a second vehicle and speeding away. Police learned the first car was stolen from the 300 block of Central Avenue sometime after 7 p.m. Dec. 30. A key fob had been left inside.

SHOPLIFTING
Staff at the Walgreens, 3232 Lake Avenue., reported that unidentified male and female shoplifters stole numerous items of unspecified value between 9:36 and 9:48 p.m. on Dec. 30.

CAR BURGLARIES

• Someone burglarized an unlocked car parked in the 1000 block of Manor Drive between 6 and 6:21 a.m. on Dec. 30, stealing a piece of luggage containing various personal items
• Six unlocked cars in the 1000 block of Pontiac Road and the 2300 block of Elmwood Avenue were burglarized between 7 p.m. Dec. 30 and 2:46 a.m. Dec. 31, police learned after investigating a garage door left open in the area.
• A resident reported on Dec. 31 that someone had burglarized their unlocked car in the 1000 block of Locust Avenue without stealing anything.
• A resident reported on Dec. 31 that someone had burglarized their unlocked car in the 1000 block of Pontiac Road, stealing a purse from inside.
• A resident in the 1100 block of Locust Avenue reported on Dec. 31 that someone had gotten into their unlocked garage and entered two unlocked cars. A remote garage door opener was reported missing from one of the cars.

ARRESTS/CITATIONS

Eusebio Gonzalez, 45, of the 500 block of 5th Street, Glenview, was arrested around 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 in the 2300 block of Lake Avenue and charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and other unspecified offenses. Police reported he failed field sobriety tests, did not have a valid Illinois driver's license and has previously had his driving privileges revoked in connection with a previous DUI. Gonzalez refused to provide a breath sample and was held overnight.

A 39-year-old Batavia man was arrested around 12:45 p.m. on Dec. 31 and charged with driving with a suspended license following an investigation into a traffic crash near the intersection of Wilmette Avenue and Hibbard Road.

WINNETKA

INCIDENTS

SCAM ATTEMPT
A Pine Tree Lane resident reported that someone contacted them by phone between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Dec. 27 and claimed to be an attorney representing a relative. The caller asked for cash to be mailed through Federal Express. The resident later canceled the shipment after releasing the request was fraudulent.

SOCIAL MEDIA SCAM
A Garland Avenue resident reported someone shut down their Facebook account after the resident paid for a concert ticket that they never received. The resident's account was later compromised and they suffered a loss of $30.

GARAGE BURGLARY
A resident in the 800 block of Bryant Avenue reported around 8 a.m. on Dec. 31 that someone had gotten into their garage after burglarizing a car left unlocked in the driveway. Multiple vehicles were rummaged through and cash and sunglasses were reported stolen for a loss of $180.

STOLEN CAR
Someone stole an unlocked car with the keys left inside in the 400 block of Cedar Street between 12:01 and 8:50 a.m. on Dec. 31. The car was later found outside the village. Headphones and sunglasses were also left inside, and the total amount of the loss was not known at the time of the report.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE

• Someone caused $6 in damage to a flag in the 900 block of Forest Glen Drive West between 5 p.m. Dec. 31 and 11 a.m. Jan. 1.
• Someone caused $1,000 in damage to a lawn in the 1000 block of Sheridan Road by driving on it prior to 4 p.m. on Jan. 3.

IDENTITY THEFTS

• A Hawthorn Lane resident reported on Dec. 30 that someone had used their identity to obtain a fraudulent driver's license and make a purchase using the resident's Nordstrom card account for a $4,000 loss. Someone also unsuccessfully used the resident's identity in an attempt to open a store account at a jewelry store.
• A Walden Road resident reported on Jan. 3 that someone had used their identity to buy a cell phone from Sprint for an unknown loss.

CAR BURGLARIES

• Someone burglarized two unlocked cars parked in a driveway in the 500 block of Meadow Road between 12:30 and 6:30 a.m. on Dec. 30, stealing a garage door opener and portfolios with registration and insurance information.
• An officer found several parked cars in the 900 block of Sunset Road that looked like someone had rummaged through prior to 5 a.m. on Dec. 31. It was not known if anything was stolen at the time of the report.
• A resident in the 1000 block of Spruce Street reported that someone stole a tote bag that had been left in an unlocked car between 4 p.m. Dec. 30 and 8 a.m. Dec. 31 for a $20 loss.
• Someone burglarized a car left unlocked in the 700 block of Lincoln Avenue prior to 5:10 a.m. on Dec. 31. Nothing was reported stolen at the time of the report.

ARRESTS/CITATIONS

Alexis E. Payne, 45, of the 900 block of Elm Street, Winnetka, was arrested around 5:18 p.m. on Dec. 23 and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a crash investigation in the 1300 block of Willow Road. She was also issued citations for illegal transportation of an open container of alcohol, following too closely and failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.

A 58-year-old Winnetka man was arrested around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 26 and charged with driving with a suspended license following a traffic stop in the 1000 block of Willow Road. Police also issued improper lane usage and operating an uninsured motor vehicle citations.

Patrick J. Lauer, 18, of the 900 block of Pine Tree Lane, Winnetka, was arrested around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 in the 800 block of Vernon Avenue and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving under the influence of alcohol with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. He was also issued a driving without lights citation.

Earlier: Police Assaulted; Village Hall Fraud; Indecent Exposure Reported; Over $28,000 Stolen In Wire Fraud, $5,000 In Gift Card Scam: New Trier Area Police Blotters, Dec. 12–Dec. 25

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