The following information was obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside and Brookfield police departments from Feb. 13 through Feb. 20 and represents a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not yet been adjudicated.
Back on Feb. 1 a custodian at St. Mary Church in Riverside called Riverside police to report that someone was trying to steal money out of the metal “poor boxes” inside the church. The man fled the scene in a white SUV before police could respond.
On Feb. 18, the custodian wasn’t going to let that happen again. Around 11 a.m. that day he again saw a man later identified as Russell L. Mackey, 42, allegedly trying to physically remove a poor box from the wall of the church. The custodian confronted Mackey, who replied that he was there to see a priest.
Offering to bring Mackey to see the priest personally, the custodian passed by a school employee, and silently mouthed “call the police” to her.
Several minutes later, Mackey was in custody as he tried to enter an SUV parked in the St. Mary parking lot. Police recovered a screwdriver and an undisclosed amount of money–much of it in change and $1 bills. In Mackey’s SUV, police also found a check intended for the Riverside United Methodist Church.
A computer check revealed that Mackey, who according to police had been living at the Brookfield Motel, was on parole for burglary and was wanted on a parole violation issued by the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Felony charges were approved by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was also charged with criminal damage to property. Mackey was also interviewed by Elmhurst and Lombard police in connection with ongoing church burglary investigations there.
Burglary
? A resident of the 3500 block of Woodside Avenue, Brookfield, reported that some time between 9 and 11 p.m. on Feb. 15 someone entered his garage and removed a red Toro 20-inch snow blower valued at $300.
Theft
? David R. Banks, 35, of Riverside, was charged with felony theft after he allegedly removed a bicycle from a house in the 200 block of Woodside Road, Riverside on Feb. 19 around 12:20 a.m. Police received a call of a suspicious person riding a bike and carrying another. During questioning, police found that Banks was wanted on a pair of warrants–one for theft out of Calumet City and another for DUI out of Hazel Crest.
During a search of the area, police also found an open garage in the 200 block of Woodside Road. The resident at that house identified the bike as his.
Banks was also hit with resisting and assault charges after reportedly becoming combative with police at the station.
After leaving the store, Eaton was called back in by the manager ostensibly to talk about the job application. Once they were back inside the store, the manager confronted Eaton, who reportedly took the bottle from underneath his coat and threw it into a garbage can.
Unlawful use of a weapon
? Riverside police charged Berwyn resident Greggory Wright, 46, with unlawful use of a weapon after reportedly finding a stun gun in his possession during a traffic stop at Harlem Avenue and Blackhawk Road on Feb. 16 at 1:09 a.m. After discovering that his license was suspended, police searched Wright, who had the stun gun in his jacket pocket. They also found a large sword in the trunk of the car.
DUI
? Riverside police charged LaGrange Park resident Keith W. Dziewinski, 34, with driving under the influence after he drove his 1992 Saturn drove through a stop sign at Barrypoint and Fairbank roads at 2:10 a.m. on Feb. 20. After failing field sobriety tests, police also found he was wanted on a Cook County Sheriff’s Police warrant for domestic battery.
? Lyons resident Daniel Bragas, 20, was charged with driving under the influence under the state’s zero tolerance law after he reportedly drove his car westbound on 31st Street in the eastbound lane of traffic at 3:03 a.m. on Feb. 18. A passenger, Steven Lowe, 19, of Oak Park, was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor.
? Eddy Guerrero, 38, of Cicero was charged with driving under the influence by Riverside police after being stopped for speeding on Harlem Avenue at 1:57 a.m. on Feb. 20. A breath test revealed a blood-alcohol level of .152, nearly twice the legal limit.
? Berwyn resident Salvador Saucedo, 28, was charged by Riverside police with driving under the influence after North Riverside police alerted them to a car driving erratically eastbound on 26th street approaching Harlem Avenue at 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 18. Saucedo failed field sobriety tests, and refused to submit to a breath test.
?”compiled by Bob Uphues
