Story posted Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Police Blotter
These items are from Des Plaines Police Department incident reports. The Des Plaines Journal publishes this police blotter every Wednesday and Friday. If anyone has information that can help solve a crime, call the police department at 847-391-5400 or Crimestoppers at 847-699-STOP.
MOB ACTION CHARGE
Carlos A. Mendez, 23, of 1322 Cora St., Des Plaines, was charged with mob action and criminal damage to vehicle at 7:13 p.m. June 10. Witnesses told police Mendez and several other men surrounded a car, broke a window, and tried to punch the occupants in the 2000 block of Touhy Avenue. When they arrived, officers saw people surrounding the car but they fled upon seeing police. Mendez and two Rosemont boys, aged 15 and 16, were stopped. The boys will be petitioned to juvenile court on mob action charges.
DRUG CHARGES
Joseph E. LaPlume, 61, of 815 E. Oakton St, Des Plaines, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, no proof of insurance, and defective windshield. Police stopped him in the 1600 block of Oakton Place at 12:03 a.m. June 12 for the alleged equipment violation. He allegedly surrendered a plastic bag containing suspected crack cocaine to police.
Mark J. Unger, 26, of 649 Drom Court, Antioch, was charged with possession of cannabis at 7:55 p.m. June 11. Police stopped him in the 2400 block of Mannheim Road after watching him allegedly perform a suspicious transaction in the 1200 block of Lee Street. During a search, officers allegedly recovered a plastic bag containing suspected marijuana from his trunk.
Eddie Barajas, 20, of 2835 N. Ridgeway Ave., Chicago, was charged with possession of cannabis and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor; Diego Bautista, 23, of 501 50th Ave., Bellwood, was charged with encouraging the delinquency of a minor. Police stopped the men in the 2700 block of Mannheim Road at 6:10 p.m. June 11 while investigating a suspicious vehicle. Police allegedly recovered open beer and a suspected marijuana cigar from the vehicle.
DUI CHARGES
Angel L. Prieto, 26, of 1228 Boxwood Drive, Mt. Prospect, was charged with two counts of aggravated driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was stopped at 12:24 a.m. June 12 on Oakton Street near the Outer Belt railroad tracks.
RETAIL THEFT CHARGED
Roger A. Pruitt, 48, of 765 Lisa St., Woodstock, was charged with retail theft at 5:45 p.m. June 11. He was taken into custody at Dominick's Finer Foods, 1555 Lee St., after he allegedly tried to leave without paying for three bottles of eye drops valued at a total of $22.27.
STOLEN BICYCLE
A bicycle was taken from a backyard in the 600 block of Parsons Avenue between 6 and 8 a.m. June 8.
BURGLARIES AND THEFTS
A man in a black 1996 Honda took a leaf blower from a truck stopped at a gas station at 710 N. Wolf Rd. Witnesses told police the man took the tool at 12:40 p.m. June 10, got into his vehicle, and fled. The license registers to a Prospect Hts. man whose physical description matched the suspect, police said.
Jewelry and a video game system were taken from a home in the 1400 block of Oxford Road between midnight May 22 and 4:45 p.m. June 10.
VANDALISM REPORTS
Someone smashed a window and bumper of a silver 2005 Mercedes C230 and scratched the paint of the vehicle. The damage occurred between 5 and 10:20 p.m. June 10 in the 1800 block of South Elmhurst Road.
Someone spray-painted graffiti on a dumpster in the 1400 block of Willow Avenue between 10 p.m. June 9 and 9 a.m. June 10.
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