Crime & Safety

Owner Gets Burned Lending SUV: Weird Crimes

Woman tells police she planned to hide items in 'inappropriate places' around the mall • Shopper banned from all Kohl's store attempts return • Driver wakes up with a beer in his hand ... This week's roundup of weird crime news in the Southland.

Finding Retribution in Inappropriate Places?


May 3: A Hazel Crest woman claimed it was all just a misunderstanding when she walked out of a clothing store without paying for $118 worth of candy and makeup.

Tamara R. Spero, 54, of the 16900 block of Lincoln Avenue, Hazel Crest, was charged with retail theft, according to a report.

Police were called at about 9:52 p.m. to Carson’s, 4 Orland Square Dr., for a woman being held by store employees, according to a report. A witness told police that a woman, Spero, was seen putting several pairs of shoes into a bag after already buying two pairs. When confronted, Spero allegedly took the shoes out of her bag and walked away, police said.

Store security then allegedly saw Spero put a box of candy and some makeup into her purse before leaving the store and entering the rest of Orland Square Mall, according to a report. She was later stopped and the six items, worth $118, were recovered.

Spero told police that the incident was a big misunderstanding and that she wasn’t trying to steal anything, according to the report. She left the store after being unable to find a cashier and planned to leave the items around the mall in “inappropriate places” because of the service she received, according to the report.

Police processed Spero after taking her into custody. She was due on May 20 in Bridgeview court.

Read more on Orland Park Patch

Banned From All Kohl's Stores


May 27: One determined shopper from Chicago wasn't going to let a complete ban prevent her from making a return.

Tiana Crosby, 25, of the 2500 block of East 76th Street, Chicago, was charged with retail theft and criminal trespass to property, according to a report. She is accused of taking $98 worth of children’s clothes from Kohl’s, 17620 Halsted St.

Police were called at about 1:57 p.m., according to the report. A witness told officers that Crosby had placed several pieces of clothing into a shopping bag while she tried to return other items she already bought.

Police said Crosby was banned from all Kohl’s stores on Sept. 12, 2011, after an incident at a location in Wheaton, according to the report. The ban resulted in the trespassing charge. Crosby is due on June 14 in Markham court.

Read more on Homewood-Flossmoor Patch

Driver with Beer in Hand Roused By Police


May 5: A driver allegedly found passed out at the wheel with a beer in his hand faces drunken driving charges.

Cirilo Reyes, 62, of the 600 block of John Street, Joliet, was charged with DUI, DUI with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08, driving with a suspended license and illegally transporting alcohol, according to a report.

An officer on patrol noticed a vehicle parked in an area where construction equipment was being stored at the Metra lot at 143rd Street and Southwest Highway, according to a report. Police found a man wearing a seatbelt resting his head on the steering wheel. The keys were still in the car's ignition. A beer can allegedly was in the driver's hand, police said.

The driver, Reyes, was slow to get up, according to the report. When he spoke, Reyes reportedly had a strong odor of alcohol coming from his mouth, police said.
Reyes was arrested after taking field sobriety tests, according to the report. He also took a breath test after he was transported to the Orland Park Police Department for processing.

Reyes was released after posting bond and is due on June 24 in Bridgeview court.

Read more on Orland Park Patch

Borrowed SUV Burned in Chicago Heights Field


May 27: A man who drove his brother's SUV to a Chicago Heights club caught some heat over what happened that night.

Chicago Heights police and firefighters responded to a vehicle fire call at about 12:31 a.m. near the intersection of Ashland Avenue and Boston Street, according to a report. They found the 2000 Ford Expedition engulfed in flames in an open field.

Power lines above the SUV also ignited, according to the report. Firefighters extinguished both the SUV and the lines.

Police said the SUV was "fully burned." ComEd was called to repair the wires.
While the blaze was dying down, police received a call that an SUV had been stolen from a night club in the 1600 block of Western Avenue.

The victim told police he left the SUV running and went into the club for 15 minutes, according to the report. When he returned, it was gone.

According to police, the SUV belonged to the brother of the man who went clubbing. After the driver was informed about the vehicle fate, he then called his brother to give him the bad news.

Police did not report any arrests connected with the incident.

Read more on Chicago Heights Patch


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Police report information is provided by local police departments. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.

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