Thursday Blotter: Man Allegedly Steals Drugs, Cigarettes to ‘Support the Habit’

The provided the following reports.

Improper Use of Horn, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

While on patrol at 5:51 p.m. on Jan. 31, police observed a driver, later identified as Robert A. Becker, of Des Plaines, honk his horn at the driver of another vehicle turning left in front of him travelling eastbound on Elk Boulevard at River Road. According to the report, Becker changed lanes, while continuously honking his horn, to pass the vehicle on the left. He stopped honking the horn halfway through the intersection.

Police conducted a traffic stop on Becker in the 1300 block of E. Webford Avenue for improper use of horn.

While speaking with Becker, according to the report, the responding officer smelled the odor of burnt cannabis coming from inside the vehicle. When police asked Becker if he had any cannabis in his car, according to the report, he said he had a “roach” in the ashtray and a pipe in center console, both items later recovered by police.

When police asked Becker if he had smoked in the car recently, according to the report, Becker said he smoked cannabis after he got off work approximately an hour earlier.

Becker passed field sobriety tests and was issued citations for improper use of horn and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Earlier:

Illegal Dumping, Garbage Problem

A Des Plaines woman reported items were left in the alley behind her residence in the 1800 block of E. Bennett Place at 11:41 a.m. on Feb. 6. According to the report, sometime after midnight on Feb. 1 an unknown offender left a dresser mirror, wooden porch swing and wooden stairs in the alley. The woman told police, according to the report, she contacted public works to remove the items and was told she needed to file a police report first. The complainant said she would contact public works again with the report number.

Heroin Possession Under 15 Grams, Retail Theft Over $500

Police responded to a retail theft report at Jewel-Osco, 819 S. Elmhurst Road, at 6:47 a.m. on Feb. 5. According to the report, the offender, later identified as Winfred Barnett, 46, of Chicago, was observed by a loss prevention officer filling a gift bag with assorted items from store shelves, including over-the-counter medications. Barnett was also allegedly seen going behind the camera counter, removing packages of cigarettes, and placing them in the gift bag.

Barnett went past the last point of purchase, passed the bag around the anti-theft sensors and put it next to a garbage can outside the front entrance to the store before being detained by police, the report said..

Barnett was placed under arrest for retail theft and transported to the station. Police conducted a search of Barnett and recovered two small zip bags containing a white, powdery substance, one taped to his waistband and the second between his toes. According to the report, Barnett told police the packets contained heroin, and a field test gave a positive indication for the probable presence of an opium alkaloid, total weight approximately 1.3 grams.

Barnett told police, according to the report, he takes 15 hits of heroin a day, and he “steals to support the habit.”

The stolen items included nine packs of Marlboro Menthol, nine packs of Pall Mall, five packs of Kool Blue, 17 packs of assorted Marlboro, five packs of Prevacid 42-count, 24 packs of Claritin 30-count, 12 packs of Zantac 65-count, two packages of Prilosec 28-count, eight packages of Abreva and one USA Today newspaper. Total property loss was estimated at $1,501.

Barnett was charged with retail theft and possession of heroin under 15 grams.

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