Homewood Police Blotter: Wakeup Call from HPD, Carl Buddig Metal Theft

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15

Young Texter Gets Wake-Up Call From Police

A Homewood youth who repeatedly sent unwanted text messages to a female classmate was surprised to get a phone call from the Homewood police department, according to a police report. The girl's father complained to police after the boy sent numerous texts asking the girl to go out with him and then progressed to making lewd personal comments, police said. Homewood police officers called the youth on his cell phone. The boy initially denied sending the texts, then sought to portray himself as the victim of the girl's unwanted advances, according to the report. Police warned the boy to remove the girl's cell phone number from his phone, then notified his mother and grandmother, the report said. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 14

Carl Buddig Copper Theft

Employees at a well-known meat company based in Homewood discovered that the business had joined the ranks of Southland companies and homes, police said. Copper pipe was stolen from a building air conditioner at Carl Buddig, 950 175th St., with the theft occurring sometime between 3:30 p.m. and 6:55 p.m., according to the police report. The value of the 10-foot segment of copper pipe was estimated at $200, police said.

Car Contained Teens, Beers

A police officer pulled over a teen driver after noting that he had three passengers in the car, then found beers in the vehicle, police said. Because Illinois law limits a 16-year-old driver to transporting one passenger at a time, the officer pulled over a teen male with three friends in the car, then noted the top of a beer bottle sticking up from between the seats, police said. The officer then recovered three Bud Light bottles from the front seats, according to the report. The teen driver was picked up at the station by his mother.

Cars Burglarized on Delta Road

A Homewood woman discovered an unknown thief or thieves had cracked her car window and damaged her dashboard, police said. It appears the motive was to steal the car's radio, yet nothing was taken from the car, which was parked in the 18000 block of Delta Road, according to the report. Damage to the car is estimated at $400.

Another Homewood resident who also parked in the 18000 block of Delta Road found that someone took a brown calfskin briefcase valued at $300 and a Compaq laptop computer valued at $600 from his unlocked vehicle, police said. 

MONDAY, JUNE 13

Harvey Man Found With Cobra Radios

A 40-year-old Harvey man was charged with retail theft after he passed the last purchase point of Kmart without paying for a package of handheld radios, police said. Michael Brown, of 151st Street in Harvey, was observed by security at the store at 17550 Halsted St. with the Cobra radios, according to the report. The items were priced at $39.99, police said.

Homewood Hair Salon Hit by Metal Theft

The Tres Chic Salon, 18831 Dixie Hwy., was hit by a thief or thieves who stole an 8-foot length of copper pipe, police said. The pipe was taken from an air-conditioning unit located on the southeast corner of the building, according to the report. The theft was discovered by the salon's handyman, who inspected the area Monday and found the pipe gone and insulation strewn around the vent, police said. The total damage is estimated at about $500.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12

I.D. Vanished From Unlocked Car

A Homewood man who forgot to lock his vehicle parked in the 18000 block of Rockwell Avenue found that his wallet was stolen from his car, police said. The person or persons unknown took the man's student identification card from Governor's State University and his Illinois driver's license, according to the report.

Pabst in Plumbing Floods Fountain

The Irwin Park Fountain overflowed after someone placed two cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer into the drain, police said. After the beer-related overflow was discovered, staff from the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District shut down the fountain and removed the beer cans, according to the report. The fountain at 18120 Highland Ave. was undamaged, but the estimated cost of labor was $100, police said.

Harvey Man Tries to Cash Stolen Check at Currency Exchange

Police say a 20-year-old man attempted to cash a stolen check belonging to an Evergreen Park woman at a local currency exchange. David C. Tinder, of the 200 block of Geneva in Harvey, is charged with deceptive practice after visiting the Homewood Currency Exchange, 17700 Halsted St., and trying to get money from the check, police said. The checks were reported stolen following a June 7 burglary of the woman's car, which was parked in front of her home, police said. Tinder is scheduled to appear in Markham Court on June 29.

 SATURDAY, JUNE 11

Homewood Woman's Replacement Card Targeted

A Homewood woman who ordered a new debit card from TCF Bank after being told her account was compromised was surprised by unwanted charges on the new card, police said. The woman was told the replacement card would be sent to her home address, but she never received it, according to the report. When she called the bank to inquire about the new card, an employee told her the new card had already been activated, police said. Apparently, the card was intercepted and was used in a $480 shopping trip to Cub Foods in Chicago Heights, police said.