Wednesday Blotter: Man in Light Blue Minivan Reportedly Stared at Iroquois Student

The provided the following reports.

Suspicious Incident

The principal at Iroquois Community School reported a suspicious incident to police at 2 p.m. on Feb. 1. According to the report, a student said that at approximately 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 31, while walking home on Prospect Avenue, he saw a white male, 30 to 40 years old with dark graying hair and no facial hair, driving a light blue minivan.

As the driver approached a stop sign at Ash Street, he stopped about 10 feet before the sign, and stared at the student. As the boy approached Ash Street, the driver got out of the vehicle, opened all the doors, turned on the interior lights and climbed into the backseat.

As the boy walked across Ash Street to the other side of Prospect Avenue he noticed the driver was still staring at him. He started to jog as he passed the minivan, continued running, and turned northbound on Spruce Street before stopping to look around to see if the van was following him. He didn’t see the minivan, so he continued home.

According to the report, the male subject did not make any attempt to contact the student verbally or physically.

Police checked records of known sex offenders in Des Plaines, and none of them matched the physical or vehicle descriptions.

Earlier:

Trespassing

Police were dispatched for an unwanted subject report at Rivers Casino, 3000 S. River Road, at 2:41 a.m. on Feb. 7. According to the report, Theodore R. Wheeler, 54, of Buffalo Grove, was issued a citation for trespassing and escorted off the property without incident after an Illinois Gaming Board agent informed police he was on the self-exclusion list.

The Illinois Gaming Board began the Statewide Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program for Problem Gamblers in 2002, according to the Illinois Gaming Board’s website. It allows people who are problem gamblers to self-exclude themselves from Illinois casinos for a minimum of five years.

Trespassing

Police responded to an unwanted subject report at Rivers Casino at 4:52 a.m. on Feb. 7. According to the report, after Thomas J. Minasola, 53, of Chicago, was identified as being on the self-exclusion list, he was issued a citation for trespassing and escorted off the property without incident.

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