Police use decoy to apprehend suspect in theft of packages
Police charged a Chicago man, March 14, with multiple package thefts in Forest Park. According to police reports, a resident in the 900 block of Elgin Avenue reported the theft of a package at 11:29 a.m., March 14, from the front porch of his home. Due to a number of package thefts in the area, police asked to borrow the delivery box from the resident. They placed an Intoximeter portable breath test device inside and found a UPS driver in the 1500 block of Elgin Avenue who agreed to place the package on a porch in the 900 block of Circle Avenue. Officers in plain clothes then waited to see if anyone would try to take it.
About 1:34 p.m., police reported seeing a man go up to every house on the block distributing flyers in mailboxes. Officers reported watching the man go onto the porch and pick up the package left there and open it. The man then went to another home and did the same with another package, at which point he was detained for a theft investigation.
Police charged Dexter M. Higgs, 28, of Chicago, with three counts of theft. Police said Higgs was found with several items in his possession taken from packages at the time he was arrested. Higgs told police he was paid $200 to distribute political mailers around town and had opened and took items from porches he thought he could re-sell. Police said Higgs told them he stole the items to support his heroin addiction.
Woman robbed of purse
A woman reported she was robbed of her purse at 4:59 p.m., March 15, in the 300 block of Lathrop Avenue. The woman told police she was entering the front door of her residence and saw two men in the lobby. The woman said one of the men grabbed her purse and broke the strap as they were taking it from her. The men then fled through the building’s parking lot. Police said the purse contained less than $8 in cash, an ATM card, a cellphone, checkbook and personal identification. Police reported that the purse was found later that evening nearby and some of the items were recovered.
Intent to deliver meth
A traffic stop at 4:31 p.m., March 14, near First Street and Bataan Avenue resulted in charges for both occupants of the vehicle. Police said the driver, Anthony Wolf, 31, of McHenry was recently charged with possession of a controlled substance in Chicago. Police said his passenger, a 27-year-old Chicago woman, had an open bottle of alcohol in her bag at the time of the stop. A search of the vehicle revealed 77 small bags with dollar sign symbols and a plastic container with a total of 8.39 grams of methamphetamine inside. An additional 3.78 grams of meth was found in Wolf’s waistband, police said. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, and a citation for driving on an expired license. The female passenger was arrested on an outstanding warrant from the Kane County Sheriff’s Department and cited for having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle. Police also found a digital scale in the hotel room Wolf rented in Melrose Park, according to police.
Vehicle stolen
A white 2001 Chevrolet Impala was reported stolen at 3:09 a.m., March 19, from the BP Amoco station, 7204 Washington St. Police were told the vehicle’s owner was inside the station when he saw his vehicle being driven away from the pump where it was parked. The Chicago Police Department later reported finding the vehicle.
Medication stolen
A package delivered by the U.S. Post Office was reported stolen at 9:25 a.m. March 16 in the 7300 block of Harrison Avenue. The package contained $96 worth of prescription medication.
Retail theft
A 48-year-old Cicero man was charged after police were alerted to an incident of retail theft at 6:42 p.m., March 14, in the 1300 block of Desplaines Avenue. The man was being held in custody at Walmart after he attempted to leave the store with $291.22 worth of merchandise without paying, police said. Police also reported finding a small bag containing 2.5 grams of marijuana inside in his pocket. He was charged with retail theft and possession of marijuana.
Phone stolen
An iPhone 6 with a hard shell case was reported stolen from a shopping cart at 4:07 p.m., March 16, at Walmart, 1300 Desplaines Avenue. The phone and case were valued at $1,000.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, March 14-20, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.
—Compiled by Matthew Hendrickson
