A Berwyn woman faces three felony charges, including forgery, deceptive practice and financial exploitation of an elderly person, after she allegedly stole a check and then forged two signatures in order to cash it.
Brookfield police reported that on July 15 a Waukesha, Wis., man called to report that someone had withdrawn $710 from a checking account held jointly by him and his 95-year-old mother, who lives at the British Home, 3000 McCormick Ave.
The son reportedly told police that he has power of attorney over the joint checking account through Bank of America. On June 22, the son signed his mother up for a companion service and that a Berwyn woman named Patricia Mayfield was his mother’s primary companion.
On July 11, the son went to visit his mother at the British Home and noticed that his mother’s wallet, which typically contained around $34 was empty. He also noticed a $710 entry in his mother’s check book ledger that neither he nor his mother, who was unable to write checks, had entered.
The son visited the Riverside branch of Bank of America, advised them of a possible stolen check and learned that it had been cashed already. He also stated that the signatures on the check, for him and his mother, were forged.
On July 22, Brookfield police went to Mayfield’s residence in the 1600 block of Harlem Avenue in Berwyn and arrested her. The Cook County State’s Attorney approved three felony charges against her in addition to a misdemeanor count of theft.
Mayfield is being held at Cook County Jail on $50,000 bond pending a court date this morning at Maybrook.
Missing juvenile found
A 16-year-old boy reported missing by Will County police was found safe by police in North Riverside on July 25.
According to the police report, an officer on patrol observed a teenage boy walking in the 2500 block of First Avenue, carrying two apparently full duffel bags. The officer talked to the boy, who said he was walking to a friend’s house at First and North avenues.
A check of the boy’s name on the police computer revealed that he was reported missing by his family, who lives in Plainfield. North Riverside police contacted the boy’s father, who picked him up at the police station.
Burglary
Brookfield police reported last week that between 10 a.m. on July 19 and 8 p.m. on July 20, someone entered a residence in the 4200 block of Elm Avenue and removed several items, including a Smith & Wesson .45-caliber handgun.
According to the police report, the victim stated the front door to the residence was left unlocked while he was out on July 19. Also reported missing was an Apple MacBook Pro laptop computer, a phone battery charger and batteries and loose change.
A 24-year-old Cicero woman reported to North Riverside police on the evening of July 21 that someone had broken into her 2001 Chevy Malibu, which was parked in the lot near Best Buy, 2358 Harlem Ave.
The rear vent window was broken out, police said, and a JVC stereo was taken from the dashboard.
A resident of the 8000 block of Edgewater Avenue, North Riverside, told police on July 22 that she had parked her boyfriend’s 2004 Chevy Impala on the south side of the street the night before at 10:30 p.m.
At 9:30 a.m. on July 22, she noticed that the front passenger window was shattered and that someone had unsuccessfully attempted to pull the car stereo from the dashboard. The dashboard was taken apart and damaged, but nothing was reported missing from the vehicle.
A resident of the 4000 block of Deyo Avenue, Brookfield, reported to police that some time between 8 p.m. on July 24 and noon on July 25, someone entered his unlocked garage and removed a bicycle, circular saw and two halogen light bulbs.
Wanted
Riverside police making a routine speeding stop arrested a Chicago man wanted by Cook County Sheriff’s police on a burglary warrant. At 10:05 a.m. on July 20 police pulled over a white GMC van which was traveling 45 mph in a 30 mph zone while northbound on Harlem Avenue near Windsor Avenue.
During the stop, police did a computer check on the driver, Jose Rodriguez, 21. He was found to have an active warrant for his arrest. He was also cited for speeding and illegal transportation of open alcohol. He is being held without bond in Cook County Jail, awaiting an Aug. 31 court date in Skokie.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments from July 20 through July 26 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.
– Compiled by Bob Uphues
