Two trucks stolen from local U-Haul lot

U-Haul employees told Forest Park police on June 26 that two trucks were stolen from their lot, 801 Harlem Ave., around midnight on June 24. According to the police report, a light-colored Cadillac drove onto the lot and parked. 

Shortly after, a U-Haul truck with Arizona license plates pulled in and a man exited the truck and “manipulated and fished the drop box with an unknown tool and succeeded in removing a set of keys” to another U-Haul truck, which he then drove off the lot. A second man remained inside the first U-Haul truck.

Then, a third U-Haul truck drove into the lot. The man sitting in the first U-Haul truck got out and approached the driver of the third U-Haul, telling her he was a U-Haul employee. She gave him the keys. The Cadillac and a second unidentified SUV followed the two stolen U-Haul trucks off the lot.

Criminal damage to property

A 49-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman told police on June 26 that someone poured an “unidentifiable red liquid” into the gas tank of their 2013 Dodge Caravan on the 700 block of Desplaines Avenue sometime on June 22 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. The liquid reportedly caused about $500 in damage.  

Retail theft

A 50-year-old Chicago man, was charged June 26 around 9:30 p.m. with felony retail theft after taking about $100 in personal hygiene products from Walgreens, 7200 Roosevelt Road. Employees saw the man stuffing the merchandise in his pants and later called police after he left the store without paying. He was found by police nearby. At the time of the theft, he was on parole for retail theft. 

Vehicle fire

An “old school bus” used to transport temporary workers caught fire on June 27 around 5 p.m. while parked at 1229 Harlem Ave. Police arrived and saw “flames and smoke” coming from the rear passenger wheels. The bus’ owner told police he had just backed the bus into a spot when another person nearby told him the bus was on fire. The fire was put out by Forest Park firefighters, but not before another bus parked nearby was damaged. The driver told police he suspected the brakes, which were giving him trouble the day before. 

Bike theft

A 75-year-old woman told police on June 28 that someone took a blue woman’s Schwinn bike, worth between $300 and $400, from under a first floor staircase on the 300 block of Circle Avenue. She told police the theft must have occurred in the month of April. It is unclear from the police report why the woman did not report the theft until now.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, June 26-30, 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 Thomas Vogel