Man Calls Police on Himself, Shoplifts to get Arrested

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

Criminal Trespass to Land

Matthew Borgh, 20, of 4422 Wilson Avenue in Downers Grove, was charged with retail theft on May 13 after intentionally stealing a bag of potato chips from the BP on Main Street just to be arrested. Borgh called the police on himself and told them he was going to steal something from the store so he would be arrested and have somewhere to stay. Officers arrived and Borgh was insulting, uncooperative and refused to leave the property. Reluctantly, an employee at the gas station agreed to sign a complaint against Borgh, who was charged and transported to Good Sam hospital for treatment after becoming increasingly drowsy and requesting to be taken to the hospital.

Possession of Alcohol by a Minor

Three juveniles drinking in Washington Park on May 12 took off running when police arrived in reference to a juvenile complaint. A foot-chase ensued and the responding officer found two of the 16-year-old boys in a backyard in the 600 block of Wilson. Both were charged with possession of alcohol by a minor. The third teen's father called the police department days later and scheduled a time to bring him in to be talked to by police. During the chase, one of the teens broke a wooden fence, causing an estimated $250 in damage.

Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor

Tiffany Lange, 18, of 136 Erin Court in Lemont, and Stephanie Moody, 18, of 4625 Sherwood in Downers Grove were charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol on May 18 in the 4600 block of Sherwood. Officers responded to complaints of a loud party, heard noises in the backyard, and discovered Lange, Moody, and three juveniles ranging from 13 to 17-years-old in the backyard drinking. The mother of the house was contacted, who said she knew juveniles were drinking in her house but had told them to leave hours earlier before she went to bed. According to the police report, the 44 year old mother didn't take any significant action to make sure they left. The mother told police there were also juveniles sleeping in the house, and the police officers found a teen sleeping in the basement in what appeared to be a puddle of his own vomit. He was woken up and charged with possession of alcohol by a minor. Additionally, three other juveniles were charged with either consumption by a minor or curfew violation. Police also found 9.5 grams of marijuana and 28 hydrocodine pills among the teens.

Aggravated Battery

A man walking home on Forest near Main and Lincoln on May 20 was shot three times by a pellet gun when a car approached, slowed down, and a passenger shot a pellet gun at the man.

Theft from Motor Vehicle

A catalytic converter worth $1,800 was stolen from a car parked in a parking garage at the Sara Lee building on May 18 sometime between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Possession of Cannabis

An officer stopped at a stoplight at Ogden and Venard on May 18 noticed the passenger in the car next to him not wearing his seatbelt and looking at a photo of a marijuana plant on his phone. The officer conducted a traffic stop, which eventually led to marijuana being found under the driver's side seat and Jeames Pease, 20, of 1731 Ogden in Downers Grove being charged with possession of cannabis. The passenger was ticketed for not wearing his seatbelt.

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.