Man Charged With Battery, Trespass

The following incidents and arrests were reported by the Downers Grove Police Department:

Man charged with battery and trespass near hospital

James H. Lange, 51, of Downers Grove was charged with battery and criminal trespass after police responded to a call about someone threatening to shoot someone in the face at Gingham Tree, 900 39th Street at 2:05 p.m. September 10. A store employee called police and hospital security after Lange arrived in the parking lot because Lange was told not to return after previous incidents at the store. The employee told police that Lange had visited the store in the past and been asked to leave because he threatened other customers, yelled and had thrown around merchandise. The employee said during a previous visit Lange had made a gun with his fingers and demanded cash. Security personnel told police that Lange had been asked to leave the premises before and told if he returned he would be charged with trespassing. They said Lange made the remark about shooting someone in the face during a previous visit to the store.

Police said when they arrived Lange appeared agitated and was yelling at hospital security in the parking lot. Lange was told to put his hands on his head and officers explained they would be handcuffing him for their safety due to the call stating someone was going to shoot someone. Lange was handcuffed and started yelling that he was disabled, did not have weapons and came to the store to buy a crucifix. As a security person explained to Lange that he was told three times not to return to the store, Lange started yelling again and struggling in the handcuffs. Police said during a search for a weapon, Lange was belligerent and yelled about a back injury. Lange told officers he was going to sue everyone, calling them a “bunch of punks”.  According to the report Lange eventually laid on the ground screaming “stop jumping on me” like he was being beat up by the officers. Lange refused to stand to get into the squad car and police eventually called EMS personnel to transport him to the ER for evaluation.

Sign burned at home

A sign was burned in the front yard of a home in the 3900 block of Glendenning Road between 7 p.m. September 14 and 9 a.m. September 15. Police said ashes were found at the bottom of the burnt wire frame of the sign.

Soliciting without a permit charges

Martez A. Johnson, 22, of Philadelphia, PA and Erskine Goodloe Jr., 32, of Jackson, MS were both charged with solicitation without a permit in the 4000 block of Sterling Road around 5:40 p.m. September 15. A resident called police when Goodloe approached him while he was on his cell phone in his driveway. The resident told police Goodloe repeatedly asked him to buy magazines until he was told to leave the property. Officers responding to the area found Johnson on the doorstep of another home and Johnson told them he had not been at the home but was selling with another person for a company located in Ohio. Goodloe was located nearby and both men were charged for soliciting without a village permit.

Attempted retail theft

A man attempted to return a water pump valued at $44.99 for cash with a falsified receipt at Petco, 1400 75th Street around 4:34 p.m. September 16. A store manager told police an email that morning alerted the store similar incidents occurring at other Petco stores. When told the store represented on the receipt had to be called, the man fled the store.

Keys reported missing at park

A set of keys were reported missing at Hummer Park, 4833 Fairview Ave. at 5 p.m. September 16. A woman told police she left her keys on a table in the pavilion with her daughter as she went to the bathroom. When she returned the keys were gone. Her daughter said she only turned her back for a moment and the keys were not on the table. The woman’s husband told police it was possible the keys had been misplaced.

Battery charges for business owner

Joseph D. Frankel, 59, of Naperville was charged with battery at Rita’s American Roadhouse, 1211 Butterfield Road after allegedly scratching an employee around 9:20 p.m. September 16. A cashier at the business came to the police station to report Frankel had accused her of taking a patron’s $5 cover charge. When she denied it, he scratched her back while grabbing her back and arm to escort her out of the business. According to the report, police saw scratches on the woman’s back and went to talk to Frankel at the business. Another employee told police Frankel and the woman had exchanged profanities and the cashier was escorted from the premises, but not in a very physical way. Frankel denied touching the woman.

Rogaine taken from pharmacy

Ten boxes of Rogaine valued at $408 were reported stolen at CVS Pharmacy, 400 Ogden Ave. at 11:24 a.m. September 17. An employee said she was helping other customers when she heard boxes falling in an aisle and a female leave the store quickly, activating the sensor alarms. The woman was captured on video and described as being in her 30’s, with a medium build, wearing a green jacket with jeans. She was seen leaving the store parking lot with three males in a white Chevy Tahoe.

Ink cartridges taken from office store

An unidentified male and female stole ink cartridges valued at $757 from Office Max, 1516 Butterfield Road around 1:55 p.m. September 17. An employee saw the female in an aisle and noticed the back of her coat was unusually bulky. The employee told the female it felt like something was in her coat and instructed her to come to the office. A male standing nearby struck the employee in the left hip and the two ran out of the store. A manager was outside and saw the two leave in a green Ford Taurus. While re-stocking shelves later in the day, store employees discovered the ink cartridges missing and management said no sales of them had occurred at the store. The female was described as being in her 30’s, 4’11”, 180 lbs with frizzy blond hair. The male was described as being about 185 lbs. with brown hair and a crew cut.

Cash missing from purse

An envelope containing $2,800 in cash was reported missing from a woman’s purse after she accidentally left it at Chipotle, 1556 Butterfield Road around 4:15 p.m. September 17. The woman told police she realized her purse was missing around 6:40 p.m., called the restaurant and was told the purse was found by a customer and locked in the office. When she retrieved the purse at the restaurant she discovered the money was missing. According to the report, video surveillance from the restaurant was not readily available because it is handled by the restaurant’s corporate office.

Rock thrown at window

A window screen was damaged in the 5800 block of Webster Street around 11 p.m. September 17. The resident told police he heard a loud bang in front of his house but didn’t see anything outside. In the morning he discovered a hole in the screen and a rock between the screen and window. Damage was estimated at $100.

Patch reports on law enforcement activity in our town, using information provided by official agencies. Persons charged with a crime or issued a citation for violation of a local ordinance are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you or a family member are charged with a crime or cited for a violation and the charge or citation is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor of this Patch at Robert.Bykowski@Patch.com so we can follow up on the case.