Crime & Safety

Monday Blotter: Campaign Signs Go Missing, Couple Threatened With Bat, Woman Steals Tomato

Two alderman candidates report campaign sign theft.

The following items are taken from the Des Plaines Police Department. In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Assault/battery/theft

Wednesday, March 30 police responded to a report of theft and battery on the 1500 block of S. Mount Prospect Road after a man said that he and his wife caught five men stealing scrap metal and pipe from the rear of his truck. When the victims approached the men, one offender pulled out a baseball bat and another offender pushed the victim's wife. The offenders took off with $1,000 worth of material. The victim was able to obtain a license plate number.

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Criminal damage to property

Friday, April 2 police responded to a call from a man who said that the screen door of his home on the 1200 block of E. Washington Street had been damaged and the front passenger door of his vehicle scratched. The victim suspects an ex-girlfriend, with whom he has experienced similar issues with in the past.

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Drinking in public

Saturday, April 3 police observed a man drinking a bottle of beer with an open 12-pack of beer at his feet at a bus stop at 17 W. Golf Road. Police said the man was highly intoxicated and didn't have any identification, but did give police his name. Marek Purta, 45, of the 1300 block of Sir Lancelot Lane in Mount Prospect was arrested for drinking in public. "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, I'm just going home," Purta said.

Petit theft

Saturday, April 2 police responded to a report of theft at Shop N' Save grocery store, 518 Metropolitan Way. The store manager said he witnessed two women putting items in their pockets as well as their cart while they shopped. When the women approached the register, they only paid for the items in the cart. They were then detained. One of the women was found not to be in possession of any stolen items. Gale F. Wiorski, 67, of the 5800 block of N. Central Avenue in Chicago, was found to have one tomato, two sticks of butter and two soup packets, total value $8.16, in her possession.

Theft

Saturday, April 2 a Des Plaines alderman candidate reported that his campaign signs had been removed from his and his neighbor's lawns. The neighbor suspects a relative of the opposing candidate.

Sunday, April 3 a Des Plaines alderman candidate reported to police that some of his campaign signs had been removed from property that he had permission to place them on.  The victim further stated that two people who were assisting him in posting signs claimed that they saw another candidate's campaign manager following them and said that they saw this person removing their signs.


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