An Elmhurst man with whom police are familiar was the subject of an impromptu surveillance effort after authorities spotted him loitering outside a local bar.
Shortly after 1 p.m. on Dec. 6, a police sergeant recognized Gary R. Peterson, 49, standing outside of the Blueberry Hill bar on Desplaines Avenue, just north of the police station, according to a department report. Suspecting that Peterson was “involved in narcotics activity,” the sergeant and another officer watched the man through a pair of binoculars. Meanwhile, records revealed that Peterson’s license was suspended.
After watching him leave the bar and get into a nearby car, police followed the suspect until he allegedly made a right-hand turn without signaling. Officers curbed the vehicle and discovered a small amount of cocaine, less than one gram, in Peterson’s pocket, according to the report. He was charged with driving on a suspended license, failing to use his turn signal and possession of a controlled substance.
And Tigger, too
During the late night or early morning hours of Dec. 8 and Dec. 9, a pair of inflatable lawn ornaments was stolen from the front yard of a Marengo Avenue home on the 1400 block, according to police. The alleged theft occurred between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and the culprit made off with a Mickey Mouse and Tigger ornament. The items were valued at $90 each, according to the report.
At 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 8, another lawn ornament was reported stolen on the 7700 block of Harvard Avenue. A witness to the alleged heist told authorities that two men grabbed a pair of 4-foot decorative Christmas trees from the entryway of a neighboring home. They sped off in a pickup truck with the plastic trees.
Alleged thief targets eye drops
Police were called to a CVS store at 7216 Circle Ave. earlier this month after employees there allegedly discovered a man trying to steal almost $200 worth of eye drops.
According to a department report, 29-year-old Eric J. Conterussian, of Chicago, was spotted in the aisles of the retail store concealing packages of eye drops inside his coat shortly before 11 a.m. on Dec. 7. After confronting the man about the alleged theft, store employees said they were led on a brief foot chase through the store. Police were called and recovered 36 bottles of various eye drops from Conterussian, according to the report. The value of the merchandise was set at more than $188.
Computers stolen from daycare
An employee at a Beloit Avenue childcare facility arrived for work on the morning of Dec. 4 only to find the office had been ransacked and several items stolen, according to police.
The Kangaroo Korner, located at 900 Beloit Ave., was allegedly struck between 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 6:15 a.m. the following morning. Five computers, a printer, an undisclosed amount of cash and several radios were taken from the facility, according to a police report. Paperwork in every room was strewn about, also making it difficult for the employee to immediately verify those items that may be missing.
Man gives chase to would be prowler
A man living on the 100 block of Circle Avenue chased a potential burglar from a back door to his apartment and then chased the man down the street before losing sight of him, according to police.
The attempted burglary occurred shortly before 1 p.m. on Dec. 5, and was discovered when the resident heard several knocking noises coming from the back door. He went to investigate the sound and saw the door had been partially pushed in, according to a department report. He opened the door and saw a man running down the stairs to exit the building and gave chase, pursuing him north along Belvedere Avenue and onto Franklin Street.
“He had some speed on him,” the man reportedly told police of the chase.
Police find knife, drugs
A 33-year-old Berwyn man who was stopped by police for driving with an obstructed windshield allegedly became irate when officers asked to see his license and proof of insurance.
After stopping Alfredo D. Swain along the 600 block of Circle Avenue at 6 p.m. on Dec. 9, police saw Swain lean forward in his seat “as if placing something underneath it,” according to a department report. After approaching the car and asking for Swain’s identification, police reportedly saw a large box cutter knife on the floor under the driver’s seat.
Because of his outburst and the observation of the knife, police asked Swain to step out of the car. With Swain outside the vehicle, police recovered the knife and also found a plastic bag containing approximately two grams of marijuana in an air vent on the driver’s side, according to a department report. Other drug paraphernalia was also confiscated.
Swain was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, driving with an obstructed windshield and driving without insurance.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Dec. 3 and Dec. 9, 2007, and represent only a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in this report has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not been adjudicated.
-Josh Adams
