The Elmhurst Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17-or-younger are not named.
Child endangerment
April 24
A witness told police that the victim was left unattended in a vehicle for 15-20 minutes in the 200 block of N. York at around 11:33 a.m. The witness stated that the child began honking the horn. The witness retrieved the child from the vehicle, brought him inside City Hall and reunited him with his grandfather. The grandfather and victim then left the area. Officers went to the grandfather’s residence and discussed with him the dangers of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle.
Criminal damage or defacement to property/criminal damage to a vehicle/criminal trespass to property/criminal trespass to a vehicle/damage to city property/damage to property
April 25
A victim in the 600 block of S. York told police at around 12:33 p.m. that while driving past a tree removal operation, a branch fell from the tree and damaged the hood of her vehicle. A reporting officer contacted the tree service which agreed to compensate the victim for the damages.
April 23-April 24
Criminal defacement was reported in the 400 block of E. May. Police said that between the above dates, a victim reported that an unknown suspect threw an oil-like substance on the side of their residence leaving a dark oily stain on the chimney area.
April 22
A victim in the 100 block of N. Palmer Dr. told police at around 11:02 p.m. that after returning to his vehicle that was parked near the above location, he discovered the rear windshield on his vehicle had been shattered by unknown means.
Domestic battery, domestic incident
April 23
Police said a suspect and victim were involved in a verbal argument in the 800 block of S. Hawthorne at around 6:22 p.m. The suspect told police he felt the victim was going to strike his right hand and his reaction was to push the victim away. This push caused the victim to fall to the ground. The victim stated he understood how the suspect may have interpreted him gesturing his hands as being threatening. The victim did not want to sign complaints and the suspect agreed to leave the residence for the evening.
April 20
A victim in the 100 block of E. Crescent Ave. and the suspect had a verbal argument at around 10:11 p.m. which escalated when the suspect reportedly pushed the victim. The victim grabbed her cell phone and contacted 9-1-1. No visible marks were seen on either the victim or the suspect. Due to conflicting statements and the victim not wanting to sign complaints, no arrests were made.
April 4-April 7
A complainant in the 100 block of E. Crescent told police two weeks ago that a suspect held a knife in her hand and scratched his right arm. When the complainant approached the suspect, she scratched him with the knife. The complainant did not want the suspect arrested. The suspect told police that she did not scratch complainant. Both parties were advised to contact police if either one feels threatened by the other.
DUI, DUI-drugs, illegal consumption or possession of alcohol by a minor, illegal transportation of open alcohol, illegal possession of open alcohol, possession of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance
April 25
Andrew Poehling, 46, of La Grange, was issued a citation for open alcohol in the 100 block of W. First at around 5:16 p.m. Police said Poehling was found sleeping on a bench on the platform of the train depot. Contact was made with Poehling, who was found to be in possession of open alcohol, according to police.
April 23
Igor Khaykin, 34, of Downers Grove, was charged with DUI, improper lane usage and disobeying a red light near Route 83 and St. Charles at around 4:26 a.m.
April 22
Martha Salgado, 36, of Franklin Park, was charged with DUI, illegal transportation of open alcohol, improper lane usage and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Melrose at around 2:50 a.m.
April 21
A reporting officer responded to a sick person in the 500 block of W. Lake St. at around 10:15 a.m. who police said pulled into a parking lot, struck the curb, parked her vehicle across two spaces, and left her vehicle in drive as she exited it. The suspect, Raisa Nelson, 55, of Des Plaines, was located and had a smell of alcoholic beverage coming from her breath. Nelson was charged with DUI.
Harassment, threats
April 20
A complainant came into the Police Department at around 7:21 p.m. and stated that she and her ex-boyfriend, (the suspect) have been separated since September, 2015. The suspect has been verbally threatening the complainant. A reporting officer spoke with the suspect, who admitted to making the statements. The suspect was told to cease contact with complainant.
Missing person
April 25
The victim’s mother reported the victim missing at around 10:40 p.m. after she did not return home before curfew. The victim was last with her boyfriend in Bensenville. The boyfriend’s mother stated they left the Bensenville apartment and have not returned. She was entered into LEADS as missing.
Order of protection
April 21
A reporting officer responded for a call of suspects using drugs in the rear parking lot in the 100 block of Industrial at around 2:30 p.m. The suspects were located; a search of the suspects and vehicle yielded no results for contraband. One of the suspects was found to have an active order of protection that had not yet been served. A reporting officer completed the Short Form OOP and served the suspect with a copy and a court date, time, and location.
Possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance
April 26
• Edel Ruiz, 21, and Cinthia Godoy-Hernandez, 22, both of Bensenville, were issued citations for possession of cannabis in the 200 block of E. Crestview at around 6:24 p.m.
• Police said that while officers were on patrol in the 700 block of Spring at around 10:17 p.m., they observed three juvenile suspects on the sidewalk during school hours. Upon investigation officers learned that all three suspects were truant from their respective schools which are not in Elmhurst The three suspects were taken into protective custody and transported to the Police Department. Suspect 1 was charged with possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia. All suspects were then released to adult family members.
April 25
Joel Amaro, 21, of Schiller Park, and Arjun Verma, 21, of Berkeley, received citations for possession of drug paraphernalia in the 100 block of Fellows Court at around 1:50 a.m.
April 24
Lisa M. Pagan, 25, of Chicago, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, no valid driver’s license and no insurance subsequent to a traffic crash near Grand and Lake at around 3:48 p.m.
April 23
• Andrei Balog, 22, of Elmhurst, was issued citations for possession of cannabis and possession of drug paraphernalia at a hotel in the 300 block of N. Route 83 at around 7:03 p.m. Police said a reporting officer observed a suspicious vehicle in the hotel parking lot with its door standing open. The reporting officer approached the vehicle and found two occupants inside. According to police, an odor of cannabis was coming from inside the vehicle, and a search of the vehicle yielded cannabis wax, a multi-colored glass smoking pipe and a metal grinder containing cannabis residue.
• Diamond Dodds, 23, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was charged with possession of cannabis, illegal transportation of alcohol, driving while license suspended, improper lane usage and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near Route 83 and Lake Street at around 4:34 a.m. Police said that during a search of the vehicle, cannabis and open alcohol were located.
Suspicious circumstances
April 23
A reporting officer responded to the report of an unconscious male lying on the couch. Paramedics administered NAR-CAN to the victim and transported him to Elmhurst Memorial Hospital. The victim later admitted to ingesting heroin.
April 22
A reporting officer responded with the Elmhurst Fire Department to the Addison Avenue parking deck at around 9:51 p.m. for a report of subjects trapped in an elevator. Firefighters located four juveniles in the elevator near the second level. The juvenile suspects admitted to jumping as they rode in the elevator to the top floor, causing the elevator to malfunction and stop. The suspects were transported to the Elmhurst Police Department and were all released to their parents without charges. If the elevator repair company determines damage occurred, criminal charges may be sought in the future.
Theft/burglary/attempted theft or burglary/identity theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
April 25
The clerk at a gas station in the 100 block N. Addison told police at around 4:34 p.m. that a suspect entered the business, displayed a handgun, and took an undetermined amount of U.S. currency. The suspect then fled the scene on foot in a southbound direction. The suspect was described as a black male in his early 20s, wearing a green surgical mask, a light gray hooded sweatshirt, and dark gray pants. The area was searched for the suspect with no results.
April 24-April 25
Attempted theft was reported at a car dealership in the 200 block of W. Grand Ave. The dealership told police that that sometime overnight an unknown suspect pried open the overnight key drop box which is used by customers. One set of car keys was found inside the drop box. It is unknown if anything was taken from the drop box.
April 24
• A victim in the 300 block of S. Arlington told police at around 8:37 p.m. that Nicor was repairing a gas line at the end of his driveway. They had to remove some cobble stones on the apron of the driveway to gain access to the line. They stacked the brick on the parkway next to the driveway. Victim left his residence at approximately 3 p.m. and when he returned at 5 p.m. the bricks were gone.
• Theft was reported in the 200 block of N. Myrtle at around 9:07 p.m. A victim told police that she saw two suspects in dark clothing take a lawn gnome from her front porch area. The suspects left northbound and cut through houses on the east side of the street. The area was checked with no results.
April 23
Ashley Sopoci, 23, and Jessenya Leon, 22, both of Villa Park, were charged with retail theft at a supermarket in the 100 block of E. Schiller St. at around 10:39 p.m. Police said the complainant, an off-duty Elmhurst police officer, observed the two suspects exit their vehicle and grab two watermelons out of an outdoor stand. The suspects were then seen re-entering their vehicle and fleeing the scene without paying, according to police. They were later located in Villa Park, taken into custody, and transported to the Police Department. Upon further investigation it was found that Leon had an active warrant out of DuPage County.
April 20-April 21
A victim in the 400 block of S. Hillside was contacted via telephone by a representative of a financial company between the above dates in reference to a wire transfer request from her account. The victim has never requested any of her money to be transferred, and the funds were never removed from her account. A reporting officer advised the victim to change the passwords on her accounts.
April 20
A victim was contacted by a bank in St. Paul, Minn. at around 8:11 a.m. and was advised that an unknown suspect attempted to use the victim’s identity to open a bank account. The bank recognized the fraud and thwarted the attempt. The bank advised the victim to report the incident so they may initiate a fraud investigation.
April 19-April 20
An agent for the victim company, a food store in the 200 block of S. Route 83, told police that between the above dates, an unknown suspect scratched the left side of the company vehicle while it was parked in the parking lot. The vehicle appears to have been keyed. The gas cap was also loosened and the fuel level was notably lower.
April 19
A complainant in the 800 block of N. Howard Ave. told police at around 3:49 p.m. that he posted an ad on Craigslist to sell a sofa. After several email exchanges, a suspect agreed to purchase the sofa. The suspect sent the complainant a check over the amount agreed upon. The complainant took the check to the bank and was informed the check was fraudulent. The suspect did not answer any further emails and no loss occurred.
March 20-April 20
A victim at a car dealership in the 500 block of W. Lake St. told police that an associate who had done previous work for him had failed to return two sets of license plates that were used for the business between the above dates. A reporting officer contacted the suspect who agreed to return the license plates.
Feb. 20-April 18
A victim in the 200 block of S. Lawndale told police at around 4:58 p.m. that his pistol is missing. The pistol was last used on Feb. 20 at a gun range in Lombard. It is possible he left it in the range or on top of a locker that day. The victim also advised contractors and utility workers have had access to his residence and could have stolen the pistol. The pistol was entered into LEADS.
April 12
Identity theft was reported in the 600 block of Indiana at around 11:49 a.m. A victim told police that while attempting to file his income tax return through an on-line application, he was advised that someone had already filed a tax return using his Social Security number. The victim reported this information to the Internal Revenue Service.
March 12-March 27
A victim in the 1000 block of S. Prospect told police at around 2:59 p.m. that she received her American Express bill and noticed three unauthorized charges. The victim stated she has a caregiver that she gives the card to her for purchases at the grocery store. The victim did not give her permission to use it anywhere else. American Express reversed the charges to the victim’s account.
March 21
Identity theft was reported in the 100 block of N. Geneva at around 2:37 p.m. A victim told police that an unknown suspect(s) opened several credit cards using his information. No charges were made on any of the credit cards and they have been cancelled.
