WILMETTE POLICE DEPARTMENT
Community
CRIME ALERT
March 16, 2015
Residential Burglary
On Wednesday, March 11th, between 7:15 AM and 11:15 AM, an unknown offender(s) entered a residence in the 2500 block ofThornwood Avenue through an unlocked door. The offender(s) searched the house and took cash and jewelry. A person leaving the area reported that at approximately 7:15 AM, he saw a greenish black four door vehicle parked on Cleveland Ave with a white male driver and white female passenger that he did not recognize. A neighbor told an officer doing a neighborhood canvas that between 8:30 AM and 8:40 AM, she saw an unknown thin, tall, light complected man wearing all dark clothes talking on a cell phone. He was standing on the sidewalk approximately in the middle ofthe 2500 block of Thornwood Ave.It did not appear that the subject was taking a child to school.
2500 Block of Thornwood Ave
Residential Burglary
On Wednesday, February 25th, between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, an unknown subject entered the attached garage of a residence in the600 block of9th St through an unlocked service door. The subject took a blue Schwinn Clear Creek (Frontier) mountain bike. The resident had heard a suspicious crash from the garage around 12:00 PM.
Attempt Residential Burglary
On Tuesday, February 24th between 9:50 AM and 10:11 AM, an unknown subject attempted to gain entry into the residence in the 1500 block ofHighland Ave by prying a rear door and rear window. The subject was unable to gain entry.
Residential Burglary Arrests
On Friday, February 13th,the manager of the Community Recreation Center reported that the suspect in the recently reported theft was back. Officers stopped the suspect, a 21 year old Wilmette resident,and another subject with him.Further investigation identified them as offenders in three thefts at the Michigan Shores Club in addition to a theft at the Community Recreation Center. The 21 year old subject also committed an unreported residential burglary in the 2900 block ofOld Glenview Rd. He entered the residence through an unlocked rear patio door taking an iPad.
On Thursday, February 26th at 5:44 AM, Wilmette Officers responded to the area of 6th and Maple for a suspicious subject dressed in all dark clothes and trying car door handles.RespondingOfficers observed a dome light on in a vehicle parked on 7th Street and a subject, whomatchedthe description, walking in the road. Officers discovered that the subject, a 22 year old Evanston male resident, had property on him that was later connected to a residential burglary in the 700 block of 9th Street. The subject had entered the residence through an unlocked rear door. Healso had propertyfrom four burglaries to vehicles that occurred in 400 block of Washington Ave; 800 block of Greenleaf Ave; 700 block of Lake Ave; and 100 block of Crescent Place.Officers also recovered a key FOB that belonged to the stolen vehicle that occurred during the overnight hours of Sunday, February 22nd in the 900 block of Ashland Ave. Officers found the stolen vehiclein the 300 block of Washington Ave. It appears that the subject was using the vehicle to commit additional criminal offenses in Wilmette and possibly other municipalities.
Ruse Residential Burglary Alert
Several surrounding police jurisdictions have advised that they have hadsimilar "water meter" ruse burglaries in their town. The various offenders were in a black Cadillac Escalade or Black Honda Pilot; asilver unknown make and model SUV and ablack Land Rover. Wilmette Police took areport of an attempt ruse burglary on January 20th in the 2200 block ofWilmette Ave. with no vehicle description.
Auto Burglaries
Between 8:00 PM on Monday, March 9th and 8:00 AM on Tuesday, March 10th, an unknown subject(s) entered anunlocked vehicle that was parked on the street in the 1100 block of Elmwood Ave. The subject(s) took a purse that was visible on the rear passenger floorboard.
On Thursday, March 12th between 6:30 PM and 6:34 PM, a person saw three unknownmale subjects walking in the alleyin the 300 block of3rd St. When one of the subjects entered an unlocked car, the person called the police. The subjects were gone when the police arrived. The car owner was located and said that nothing was missing from the vehicle.
Auto Burglary Alert
A local police department reported that they have taken severalburglaries tovehicles belonging to parents that are dropping children off at school or visiting the school. The burglaries are occurring between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM. The offenders are targeting vehicles with visible purses or other valuables.
IRS Scam Awareness
This week, the Wilmette Police took fourIRS tax scam reports. The IRS has advised that they have been receiving numerous reports of various IRS tax scams. One resident received a letter supposedly from an IRS collection unit that stated he owed money. The letter was determined to be a fraudulent letter. Two residents receivedletters from the IRS questioning theirtax returns. They had not filed their tax returns. It was determined an unknown offender had used theirsocial security numbers to file fraudulent tax returns. One resident received a letter requesting additional informationfor the tax return that was filed. However, the resident had not filed a tax return.
See the below link for further information on tax scams.
IRS Tax Scam Alert
Senior "Grandson" Scam
On Friday, February 27th between 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM, anelderly resident in the 500 block ofRidge Rd received a phone call from a subject stating he was her grandson. The caller stated he had been arrested and needed her to send $1900.00 dollars by Western Union to bail him out. The subject told her to go to (2) separate Walgreens to have the money sent to him in the Dominican Republic. The victim was in the process of sending the first Western Union when the tellers at the Walgreens advised her to call the police because this was probably a scam.