North Riverside police reported three catalytic converter thefts last week in the village, all of them apparently taking place during the early morning hours of Nov. 10.

Police responded to the 8700 block of 26th Street at 4:10 a.m. after a resident called to say he was awakened by what sounded like a power tool in use. The victim went outside to investigate and observed one person wearing all black standing next to his vehicle.

The person saw the victim and entered the passenger side of a black SUV, which was parked in the victim’s driveway. The SUV drove away eastbound on 26th Street without its lights on. The victim later learned his vehicle’s catalytic converter was missing.

Around 8:30 a.m., a resident of the 2400 block of 6th Avenue called to report that the catalytic converter had been sawn from her 2009 Honda CR-V. Security camera video showed the theft took place about 4:10 a.m. and involved two people, one of whom appeared to be holding a handgun.

Finally, police responded to the 2300 block of Westover Avenue on the afternoon of Nov. 10 after a resident called to report that it appeared someone had attempted but failed to steal the catalytic converter from his Honda CR-V.

Burglary ruse foiled

A resident of the 3000 block of Forest Avenue, Brookfield, recognizing a potential burglary ruse, called police on Nov. 8 after a man appeared at her door claiming he needed to check the home’s water for contamination.

According to the police report, the man arrived at the residence about 5:40 p.m. in a white SUV. The man, wearing a flannel long-sleeve shirt rang the front doorbell and told the resident he needed to check the water. When he tried to open the screen door, the resident pushed the man back and said they were calling 911.

The man then walked quickly back to the SUV and drove away westbound on 30th Street.

Police later learned that a similar incident, involving a man and a vehicle similar to the one reported in Brookfield, had taken place in LaGrange Park about 5:30 p.m. in the 600 block of East 31st Street.

In that incident, the man reportedly told the resident he needed to check the water pressure of the home.

DUI at 84 mph

North Riverside police charged a 26-year-old Cicero woman with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and aggravated speeding after stopping her white Honda, which was allegedly traveling at 84 mph westbound on Cermak Road from Harlem Avenue on Nov. 11 about 1:40 a.m.

The vehicle pulled over for police at First Avenue, where the driver reported drinking vodka and smoking cannabis before getting behind the wheel. Her blood-alcohol content was reportedly .104, which is higher than the legal limit of .08.

Stolen vehicle recovered

A black 2006 Toyota Matrix, stolen on the afternoon of Nov. 3 from outside a Riverside gas station minimart, was recovered a week later in Chicago’s 10th Police District.

The victim reported on Nov. 3 that he went inside the 7-Eleven, 2600 Harlem Ave., about 1:40 p.m., leaving his car unlocked and running in the parking lot. When he left the minimart, the vehicle was gone.

Security video showed a car pull into the lot shortly after the victim entered the store. A passenger got out of that vehicle and into the victim’s, driving away a high rate of speed.

Chicago police contacted Riverside on Nov. 11 to report that they had recovered the car.

Burglary

Riverside police responded to Michael’s Pancake House, 25½ E. Burlington St., on Nov. 13 about 8:15 a.m. after someone from the business called to report that someone had forced open a basement window to gain entry to a storage room containing food items and restaurant supplies.

Nothing appeared to have been removed from the storage area, according to the police report.

Traffic stop leads to gun charge 

Riverside police charged a 24-year-old Chicago man with unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated speeding after police stopped the man’s black Subaru, which was traveling at 64 mph in a 35 mph zone while northbound on First Avenue from Forest Avenue on Nov. 11 about 1:35 a.m.

During the stop, the police officer asked if there were any firearms in the vehicle. The driver said he had a pistol in his gym bag, which was on the front passenger-side floor. While the man said he had a valid FOID card, he did not possess a concealed carry license. The Taurus 9 mm pistol was loaded with three rounds, police said, and was easily accessible to the driver.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, Nov. 8-14, 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