Man Arrested for Cruelty to Animals

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

Cruel Treatment to Animal

Officers responded to a complaint in reference to a well being check on a dog and possible drug use inside one of the rooms at the Holiday Inn Express on Finley road December 26. The complainant told police he observed a subject pulling a malnourished brown dog down the stairs and the dog was urinating all over itself. The dog's ribcage was showing and it looked like it hadn't eaten in months, according to the complainant. When police arrived, they spoke to the tenant of the room, 28 year-old Timothy Boerner of 940 Fieldstone Lane in Aurora, and detected a strong smell of dog feces coming from the room. Boerner told officers the dog was sick and wasn't eating properly, and that the dog was on a special diet from his veterinarian. Officers observed the dog and felt it was unhealthy and possibly near death. Boerner said the dog, a rescued brown brindle boxer named Sox, was a gift from his uncle for Christmas a couple of days ago and he didn't know how old the dog was. When asked, Boerner was unable to provide which shelter the dog came from or what the veterinarian's name was.

At this time, officers observed a second, healthy dog in the room, which Boerner said was his friend's dog. Boerner said the friend was out getting groceries at the time. When officers inspected the room further to find out if more people were inside, they noticed partially eaten food all over the floor and numerous piles of dog feces.Officers also noticed a bag of dog food on a dresser and asked Boerner if he would try feeding the dog while officers were there. The dog ate the food instantly, leading officers to believe the dog hadn't been fed in a long time. Boerner advised he had Sox's paperwork and the dog had been chipped, so the officers called the Public Service Response Team to come and scan the chip. Before they arrived, Boerner told officers he had lied about his story, and that the dog had been his for years, since he was a puppy. Boerner said he lost his job about six months ago and couldn't afford to properly care for the dog, but added that Sox had only recently lost the weight. The PSRT confirmed ownership after scanning the chip, and Boerner was placed under arrest for cruel treatment to animals. Sox was transferred to the West Suburban Humane Society for further treatment and care. It was determined Sox weighed 46 pounds, but should've weighed between 65 and 75 pounds.

Possession of Drug Equipment, Cannabis 30gm and Under

Rex Corley, 34 of 1459 McClure Road in Aurora, was charged with one state count of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and one state count of unlawful possession of cannabis after a traffic stop at Dunham and 63rd on December 28. Officers conducting the traffic stop for the registration lamp on Corley's vehicle not working detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. Corley was also cited for not having car insurance and improper lighting.

Theft Under $500

Two baby Jesus yard decorations were stolen from manger scenes sometime overnight on December 24. One was stolen in the 7100 block of Kidwell, the other in the 7300 block of Ticonderoga.

Suspicious Incident

A resident received a call on December 20 from someone she believed to be her granddaughter's husband asking for bail money as he had been arrested in British Columbia. Another male eventually got on the phone acting as the “Sergeant” and gave the complainant instructions on how to transfer the money. The complainant was told to the Western Union at Ultra Foods on 75th with $,1200 and make a two-part money transfer to Lima, Peru. The complainant was skeptical, but went anyway. While at the bank, an employee for the bank advised the complainant she was being scammed and stopped the transfer before it went through. The complainant subsequently got in contact with her granddaughter and learned everything was okay and the husband was not in legal trouble.

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.