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.
Battery
Nov. 1
Daniel N. Meister, 35, of Elmhurst, was arrested in the 300 block of S. West Ave. at around 6:38 p.m. Police said officers responded to an apartment complex for the report of a male suspect yelling at a mother and her daughter. According to police, when the victim told Meister to leave them alone he started walking after them and eventually brushed up against the victim. He then allegedly threatened the victim’s daughter. Meister was charged with battery and disorderly conduct.
Criminal damage to property/motor vehicle/criminal trespass to property/motor vehicle/damage to city property
Nov. 4
Criminal damage to a motor vehicle was reported in the 300 block of Hillside. A victim told police that she parked her vehicle on the street at around 1p.m.. At approximately 3 p.m., she went out to her vehicle and noted what appeared to be key marks to the rear driver’s side door quarter panel, and passenger side front quarter panel.
Nov. 3
• An unknown suspect told police that while operating construction machinery in the 200 block of S. Michigan, his boom hit and damaged a light pole in the alley.
• A victim in the 800 block of S. Prospect Ave. told police she had parked her vehicle on the street all day and noticed that someone had shattered the passenger side window when she went out to her vehicle at around 5:19 p.m. She told police she has worked in the above area for several years and has no known enemies.
Oct. 31
A victim in the Shady Lane area told police that while she and her husband were in the city for a wedding, her daughter had several people over their house, and an unknown suspect had taken her beige Landrover without permission. The vehicle was returned, but the victim wishes to sign complaints when the suspect is identified. An investigation is pending.
Disorderly conduct/mischievous conduct/disturbance
Nov. 1
Mariusz Okonski, 40, of Glendale Heights, was cited in the 100 block of S. York Road at around 1:50 a.m. While supervising the closing of a local pub for the night, police said Okonski was found urinating in public. He was cited for disorderly conduct/befouling property.
Oct. 31
Daniel Yoesle, 26, of Marseilles, was arrested at a bar in the 100 block of S. York at around 1:38 a.m. Police said officers located the suspect who was intoxicated and refusing to leave the bar. Yoesle was belligerent, stating he lost his wallet in the bar and demanded to go look for it, according to police. An officer and the staff checked the bar for it with no results. Police said the suspect continued being belligerent and attempted to push past his friends, knocking them to the ground. He refused to leave after being asked several times, according to police and was then taken into custody. Police said Yoesle refused to get in the patrol vehicle and kicked an officer. He was charged with disorderly conduct, provoking/engaging in a fight and disorderly conduct/resisting arrest.
Domestic battery
Nov. 2
• A victim in the 100 block of E. Belden told police that an argument started between her and the suspect (her daughter) over the suspect wanting to pawn her laptop. The argument became physical, and the suspect went outside and began kicking the victim’s car.
• Police said a victim and her boyfriend got into an argument while driving near the intersection of York and Brush Hill. She told him she was done with him and wanted child support. He punched her in the jaw with his right hand, according to police. There was no visible sign of injury on the victim, who refused to sign complaints.
Oct. 31-Nov. 1
A 49-year-old Naperville man was arrested in the 200 block of N. West Ave. at around 2:31 a.m. A victim told police she and the suspect had both been drinking and got into a verbal argument. When she went to go outside the suspect pushed her to the ground, and she struck her head on the pavement. There were no visible injuries. The suspect admitted to the argument but denied striking her. A LEADS check of the suspect showed him to be wanted out of the Hanover Park Police Department for a failure to appear/traffic.
Driving while license revoked
Oct. 30
Jose Martinez, 56, of Bensenville, was arrested near Schiller and Willow at around 12:56 p.m. and charged with aggravated driving while license revoked.
DUI/DUI-drugs/illegal consumption/possession of alcohol
Nov. 4
Gavin Wetendorf, 39, of Elk Grove Village, was arrested near Grand and York at around 10:14 p.m. Subsequent to a traffic stop, police said Wetendorf was found to be driving while intoxicated. He was charged with two counts of DUI, two counts of failure to signal, one headlight, no front registration plate displayed, and no insurance.
Oct. 31
• Donald Edwards, 63, of Lisle, was arrested near North and Villa at around 8:36 p.m. Subsequent to a call for a possible DUI driver, police said Edwards was found to be DUI. He was charged with two counts of DUI, illegal transportation of alcohol and improper lane usage.
Oct. 30
• Dustin Haake, 20, of Tuscola, was arrested at a pub in the 100 block of N. Addison at around 1:12 a.m. Police said Haake was urinating outside the above location, and was intoxicated. He was charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor.
• Joan H. Lechowicz, 55, of Franklin Park, was arrested near York and Diversey at around 11:30 a.m. Subsequent to an accident, police said Lechowicz was found to be under the influence of narcotics.
• Illegal consumption of alcohol and theft by a male juvenile suspect was reported at a store in the 100 block of E. Schiller at around 6:50 p.m. Police said store employees observed the suspect take a bottle of vodka and leave without paying. The suspect was located and admitted to taking the vodka for a party, according to police. The suspect also told police he had consumed two to three beers and was under 21. He was charged with theft and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.
Harassment
Nov. 4
A victim in the 400 block of S. Argyle told police upon leaving for work at 5 a.m., an unknown suspect(s) had placed a concrete brick against her screen door, preventing her from opening the door. When she returned from work at 5:45 p.m., the brick was in front of the door again. An investigation is pending.
Possession of cannabis/drug paraphernalia/controlled substance/tobacco
Jose Merlos, 31, of Chicago, was arrested near Route 83 and Lake at around 11:23 p.m. Subsequent to a traffic stop, police said Merlos was found to be in possession of a cannabis pipe. He was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while license suspended.
Public indecency
Nov. 2
Erick J. Witteck, 21, of Bensenville, was arrested in the 100 block of S. Route 83 at around 10:04 a.m. Police said two witnesses in the area told a responding officer that they saw Witteck masturbating inside of his vehicle. The suspect’s vehicle information was given to the officer, who was able to contact Witteck, who agreed to come into the police station. Witteck was charged with public indecency.
Suspicious circumstances
Oct. 31
While the victims were trick-or-treating in the 900 block of Cambridge at around 5:02 p.m., they were approached by a male who stated he had “a lot of candy at his house to give away.” The suspect never told the victims where he lived, nor did he attempted to grab them or try to follow them. Police said there were significant discrepancies in the description of the male who approached the victims.
Oct. 28
A victim at a learning center in the 100 block of S. Route 83 told police that at approximately 8 p.m. she walked outside the center to look for her father. A lady, described as a white female, between 45 and 50 years old, heavy set, parked directly in front of the center in a small sedan, exited her vehicle and asked, “Can I offer a ride home?” The victim refused to get in the vehicle and the lady said, “Oh come on, get in.” The victim went back inside the learning center to wait for her father.
Theft/burglary/ID theft/fraud/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/robbery
Nov. 4
• Attempted burglary to a motor vehicle was reported in the 100 block of E. North Ave. at around 6:25 a.m. A complainant told police that as he walked to his vehicle, he observed a red four-door vehicle parked on Kenilworth which was revving its engine and honking its horn. He then noticed a suspect, described as a black male wearing a black hoodie, jeans and a baseball cap, standing at the passenger side of his vehicle on his driveway. The suspect did not gain entry to the victim’s vehicle and fled by entering the passenger side of the awaiting red vehicle.
• Theft was reported in the 100 block of Seminole at around 10 a.m. A victim told police that a concrete saw was taken from a construction site where he was working. A witness reported seeing two suspects described as black males leave the area in a dark blue 2001-2003 Saturn.
Nov. 3-Nov. 4
Burglary to a cigarette shop was reported in the 500 block of N. York. :Police said an unknown suspect threw a block of concrete through the front window of the shop. Cigarettes, candy, cookies, and cigarette lighters were taken.
Nov.3
• The manager of cell phone dealership in the 500 block of W. St. Charles told police that a suspect, described as a black male around 5-10, 170 pounds and 40 years old, wearing a blue plaid shirt, blue winter cap and blue jeans, entered the store, provided another customer’s information and attempted to purchase two new phones on the account. Store employees attempted to stall the suspect; however he left the area. The manager called the customer of whom the information belonged, and the customer stated he was not trying to add lines to the account. The customer also stated his identity had been stolen and other transactions had been made in the Chicago area.
Nov. 1
Theft of motor vehicle parts was reported at a rent-a-car facility in the 800 block of N. York Road at around 11:22 a.m. Spare tires were removed from several vehicles between 6:13 and 6:43 a.m. Employees are still locating additional vehicle that may have left after the business was opened. The suspect is described as a black male, unknown age, wearing a dark colored baseball-style cap, a mechanic style two-toned shop shirt, dark colored pants and work boots. He was driving a 1990s model red Chevy Astrovan.
Oct. 31-Nov. 1
A Volvo tractor-trailer was reported stolen in the 800 block of N. Larch Ave. The driver of the truck and trailer met with an officer in the parking lot and said he was planning on driving to Michigan, but when he arrived, the tractor and trailer were gone.
Oct. 31
Commercial burglary was reported at a restaurant in the 500 block of S. York at around 12:17 p.m. Police said the restaurant manager reported that at around 10:10 to 10:15 a.m., she entered the locked office to retrieve the cash drawers from the safe, but the safe was gone.
Oct. 29
• Gregory Colon, 23, of Chicago; Anton Colon, 40, of Elmwood Park; and Brian Concepcion, 18, of Chicago; were arrested in the 300 block of Emory at around 1:08 a.m. One of the suspects ran to a waiting vehicle after being yelled at by the complainant, according to police. Police said the suspect’s vehicle was located, and all three suspects were found to have taken numerous Halloween decorations belonging to two victims. All three were charged with theft.
• Courtney Tully, 25, of Glendale Heights, was arrested at a store in the 200 block of S Route 83 at around 5:25 p.m. Police said store security detained Tully after she was observed going into a changing room with merchandise and exiting the changing room carrying only a purse. She was then observed leaving the store with the merchandise concealed in her purse, according to police. Tully was charged with retail theft.
More crime news…
Police report armed robbery at store on Butterfield
On November 1, armed robbery was reported at a store in the 300 block of W. Butterfield at around 10:57 p.m. Police said two suspects removed an unspecified amount of cash from the store and fled around the southeast corner of the building. A perimeter was set up and a track was conducted with no results. An investigation is pending. One of the suspects is described as a black male, around 6-feet tall, skinny, wearing a black jacket and black pants and a mask, armed with a gun. The other suspect is described as a black male, around 5-10, wearing a black jacket and black pants.
Another attempt made to lure a child
On October 31, attempting child luring was reported in the 300 block of Third at around 3:05 p.m. Victims told police that while walking east on Third, they were approached by a white Ford four-door SUV with rust on the driver’s side. The suspect, described as an Hispanic male with a mustache, dark short hair and a thick accent stated, “You want some candies?” The suspect opened the driver door and began to exit the vehicle while reaching for something on the passenger seat. The victims yelled “no” and ran to the first house, where they knew the resident. After explaining what happened, the person called 9-1-1.
Minor passed out in parkway found to be intoxicated
On October 31, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of S. Fair at around 11:47 p.m. for a reported “full arrest” where a caller reportedly saw an unidentified male lying in the parkway in front of the above area. Upon arrival, the suspect was breathing and found to be highly intoxicated. He was cited for consumption of alcohol by a minor and transported to Elmhurst Hospital for treatment.
Trick-or-treaters receive candy laced with liquor
On October 31, a complainant in the 700 block of S. Spring Road told police that while trick or treating, a unknown suspect was handing out candy reportedly containing liquor. An officer located the suspect who was in the process of handing out candy. The bowl the suspect showed the officer did not contain any candy with alcohol. The suspect told police she found a bag of candy in her house that her son had left and mixed it in with the rest of her candy. The suspect was unaware that some of these candies contained alcohol, and showed the officer several large bags of regular assorted candy she had purchased, of which none contained alcohol. The suspect asked the officer to apologize for her to any parents or children.
Victim bilked out of $8000 in scam
A victim in the 900 block of S. York Road told police that in June, they began communicating on Facebook with a person who claimed to be fighting a war in Syria with the U.S Navy. The victim eventually started sending money to him to help him come home—a total of $8,000 to locations in Ghana and New York.
Fraud victim pays $4000 to “spring” grandson; almost $6000 more
On Oct. 23, fraud was reported in the 700 block of Cambridge at around 1:18 p.m. A victim told police she received a call from a man who claimed he could get her grandson out of jail if she purchased $4,000 in I-Tunes gift cards. The victim sent those cards as instructed, at which time the suspect told the victim to send an additional $6,000 to reduce the charges. The cashier at a local supermarket told her it was a scam and stopped the victim from purchasing additional cards.
Bank robbery suspect from Oct. 29 still at large
A bank robbery was reported on October 29 in the 200 block of N. Addison at around 10:29 a.m. Police said a suspect, described as a white female who was last seen wearing a maroon beanie, dark-rimmed glasses, North Face black fleece, khaki-colored pants, black Converse gym shoes and carrying a large black purse, handed the teller a note demanding money. The teller supplied the suspect with an undisclosed amount of money, and the suspect fled the area on foot.
