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Crime & Safety

Smash and Grab of Change, Purses Reported

Block party theft, felony driving violation

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

Felony driving while revoked charges

Victor Garcia, 40, of Downers Grove was charged with felony driving while revoked and not having vehicle insurance around 7:40 p.m. August 27. An officer on patrol saw Garcia and another person in a car parked in an alleyway in the 5000 block of Fairview and recognized them as registered owners of the car whom he knew to not have driver’s licenses. After following them on a few streets the officer made a traffic stop in the parking lot of Walgreen’s, 1 Ogden Ave. Garcia told the officer he knew he had an issue with his license and gave him a state identification card. Westmont police arrived on the scene; Garcia was taken into custody and later transported to DuPage County Jail.

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Purse taken from car

A purse was taken from an unlocked car in the 200 block of 4th Avenue between 9 p.m. August 27 and 9 a.m. August 28. The owner told police her purse was taken from the front passenger seat and a friend’s American Express card was taken from the glove box. The Vera Bradley purse valued at $50 contained a driver’s license, checkbook and cell phone valued at $100.

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Block party theft reported

Two keg tappers valued at $100 and a glass bowl valued at $100 were reported missing from a tent at a neighborhood block party in the 4800 block of Middaugh Avenue. The items went missing between midnight August 28 and 6:30 a.m. August 29. According to the report, one neighbor was seen near the tent around 12:45 carrying something but it was unclear what it was because it was dark. He told another neighbor he was getting ice for a party he was having at his own home. Police went to his home and no one answered the door but later in the day a female called the station asking about the officer’s visit. She said they had also hosted a party and when asked said nothing was missing from their home and she did not see anything suspicious. The keg tappers were later returned by someone that found them in their bushes, but the bowl was not found.

Car stolen from parking lot

A 1996 Ford Ranger valued at $3,000 was stolen from a lot near Chama Guacha Steakhouse, 3008 Finley Road between 10 p.m. August 28 and 9 a.m. August 29. The owner said he left the car locked in the parking lot of a hotel west of the restaurant and when he came to work the car was gone and broken glass was in the parking spot.

 License plate taken

A license plate was taken from a car at RC Sales & Service, 2476 Wisconsin Avenue sometime between August 8 and August 12, according to a report filed on August 30. The owner stated he checked the car after receiving toll violation notices and discovered the plate missing. The pictures on the notices showed a car of the same make, but the color was unidentifiable because the pictures were in black and white.

Three smash and grabs of change, purses

A car window was broken and items taken from a car at Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Avenue on August 30. The owner said she left the car at 4 p.m., returned at 5:10 p.m. and found the passenger side window broken and her laptop bag missing. Police said a laptop and iPhone that were underneath the bag were left and the woman said her bag was purple and could have been mistaken for a purse. Police viewed video surveillance tapes and saw a car enter with two people in it at 4:30 p.m. and exit again with only the driver five minutes later. The car returned and left again at 4:43 p.m. with two people. On the tape police say a person was seen near the car and that person made no entry to the hospital. An iPad valued at $800, the bag, an I.D. card, chargers and $20 in cash were taken from the car.

A window of a car was broken and $5 in change was taken from a car parked at a business in the 6800 block of Main Street between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. August 30. The owner found the broken window when he left work and stated cars have recently been keyed in the lot, but not reported. Police said a package in the middle seat of the vehicle and golf clubs in the back were not taken. Damage to the window was estimated at $200.

A window of a car was broken and a Coach purse valued at $200 was taken at X-Sport Fitness, 3200 Finley Road between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. August 30. The owner called police on August 31 to report one of credit cards was used at Target in Lombard to make a $900 purchase. Police obtained a video surveillance DVD from the store and saw a male and female enter the store around 8 p.m. on August 30 and purchase an iPad for $898.46. The male was wearing a black shirt with red lettering, jeans and a black baseball hat. The female was wearing a black and grey tank top and jeans. They both left the store in a small, red four door car.

 

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