North Riverside police charged a 21-year-old Broadview man with impersonating a police officer after an actual officer on patrol at North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, observed a black Honda with dark-tinted windows displaying what appeared to be blue and red oscillating emergency lights and sounding a siren while driving behind another vehicle near Miller’s Ale House on Dec. 20 around 7 a.m.

When the police officer pulled up, the driver of Honda reportedly displayed a gold badge and claimed to be “working security.” Asked if he had any weapons inside the vehicle, the driver reportedly said he had an air pistol, which the police officer observed sticking out from under the driver’s seat.

Police ordered the driver out of the Honda and searched the vehicle, finding a control device for the lights under the steering wheel and a button on a control panel in the center console that worked the siren. The rear windshield displayed the words “emergency response team.”

The driver told police the vehicle belonged to his brother, but that they both worked for the same security firm and that he had activated the lights “to protect his co-workers who were getting out of work,” according to the police report.

In addition to a misdemeanor charge of impersonating a police officer, the driver was charged with illegal use of oscillating lights, illegal possession of emergency lights and for driving on a suspended license. He was also cited for having no proof of insurance and having tinted windows.

YouTuber allegedly attacked in Brookfield

Brookfield police charged a 56-year-old Brookfield man with disorderly conduct, battery and criminal damage to property after he allegedly claimed to be an undercover police officer and, apparently unprovoked, attacked a 28-year-old Chicago man who was in his car, along with his wife and 6-month-old child.

When police arrived at the scene in the 3200 block of Raymond Avenue, they encountered the alleged offender screaming at a bystander, who told police he observed the offender yelling and hitting the windows of a nearby vehicle occupied by three people.

The victim told police he was sitting in his vehicle when the offender approached and asked if he produced YouTube videos under a name redacted in the police report. The victim told the man that he was, figuring the man recognized him from his videos.

At that time the offender said he was an undercover cop and ordered the victim and his wife out their vehicle. When they did not come out, the offender reported began to bang on the vehicle’s windows with a metal crucifix that hung around his neck. When the offender opened a rear door to the compartment where the victim’s child was sitting, the victim exited the vehicle to get him to back off.

After the offender allegedly punched the victim in the head, the victim kicked the offender to get him to back up enough to close the car doors. At that time, police arrived on the scene and arrested the offender.

Man charged with hit-and-run

A 36-year-old Chicago man was cited for multiple traffic offenses after he reportedly crashed into the concrete retaining wall of Riverside Golf Club at the intersection of 26th Street and First Avenue in North Riverside and then ran from the scene on Dec. 19 at about 2:35 p.m.

A police officer on patrol nearby was made aware of the crash and reported observing a man wearing a black jacket running westbound from the crash scene. Police detained the man, wearing only a T-shirt in the 34-degree weather, a short time later in the 2300 block of First Avenue. They recovered his black hooded sweatshirt in the 2500 block of 2nd Avenue.

Police learned the man’s driver’s license had been suspended. He reportedly told them he ran because he knew his license was suspended. It’s unclear what caused the crash. Alcohol does not appear to have been a factor.

Flying down Desplaines

North Riverside police charged a 26-year-old Berwyn man with aggravated speeding after an officer on patrol reportedly clocked the man driving a gray BMW at 77 mph in a 30 mph zone southbound in the 2700 block of Desplaines Avenue on Dec. 14 at about 6:05 p.m.

According to the police report, the officer smelled a strong odor of cannabis and a computer check of the driver’s name and his passenger revealed they both had multiple felony arrests for drug and weapons offenses. At one point, the arresting officer drew his weapon and ordered both men to raise their hands because they reportedly kept their hands hidden and were uncooperative. They eventually complied and were detained without incident.

Police reported finding no contraband of note inside the vehicle.  

Vehicle break-in

A resident of the 700 block of Selborne Road, Riverside, went to police last week to report that during the overnight hours of Dec. 15-16 someone entered his vehicle, which was parked in the driveway, and rummaged through the center console, glove box and sunglasses holder.

Nothing was reported missing from the vehicle, including loose change left in the center console.

Ring missing from package

  • A resident of the 3500 block of Harlem Avenue, Riverside, called police on Dec. 15 to report that upon opening a package that had just been delivered, it was discovered that it was empty. It was supposed to contain a ring valued at nearly $1,800.
  • A resident of the 3400 block of Maple Avenue, Brookfield, called police on the morning of Dec. 18 to report that a package delivered by Amazon the night before had been removed from the lobby of her building, opened and left in a dumpster. The package had contained a weighted blanket valued at $80.

Child endangerment

North Riverside police charged a 30-year-old Chicago woman with child endangerment after she reportedly left a young child sleeping in a car seat inside a locked vehicle in the west parking lot of North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, in temperatures at 36 degrees on Dec. 17.

Security video reportedly showed the vehicle arrive at the mall at 1:03 p.m. Police were called at 1:28 p.m. The child’s mother returned to the vehicle carrying a shopping bag from Spencer’s as paramedics were evaluating the child’s condition. She was arrested and police released the child into the father’s custody.

Police also notified the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services of the incident.

Burglary

Brookfield police responded to a building in the 4600 block of Custer Avenue on Dec. 16 after a resident called to report that her apartment had been burglarized while she was out of town between Dec. 8 and Dec. 11.

Among the items missing from a box inside the apartment were at least six rings, possibly more, valued at more than $800.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, Dec. 13-19, 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