As online shopping increases, so does the opportunity for package thefts, particularly during the holiday season. The Peoria Police Department offers ways to thwart thieves.

STATE

Treasurer uses technology to deliver unclaimed cash 

If you get a check from the state, cash it. It’s legit.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office Money Match program is automatically returning lost money to qualifying Illinois residents without the need to file paperwork or initiate a claim. 

Thanks to the state’s new Money Match II program, lost cash checks between $5 and $49.99 could arrive in mailboxes before the holidays. The program builds upon the initial Money Match program launched in August. That effort returned about $12 million to 63,000 Illinois residents who were the sole owners of unclaimed cash valued between $50 and $2,000.

Illinois holds more than $2 billion in unclaimed property. The state treasurer is legally required to get the property to the rightful owners.

The state treasurer’s database can be searched for names of residents, businesses or nonprofits, at illinoistreasurer.gov/ICASH.

Satanic Temple joins Hanukkah, Christian displays

A Satanic statue has joined seasonal religious displays in the Illinois State Capitol.

The Satanic Temple of Chicago was granted permission to place its statue near a Hanukkah menorah and Christian Nativity scene in the capitol rotunda in Springfield, as it says is its constitutionally-protected opportunity to contribute its perspective to the numerous religious viewpoints. The statue is approximately four and a half feet tall and about 18 inches long. Entitled “Snaketivity,” the statue portrays a female hand, encircled by a serpent, holding an apple. The inscription on the pedestal reads “Knowledge is the Greatest Gift.” The design of the statue keeps with The Satanic Temple’s values of advocating knowledge and rationality over superstition, ignorance, and dogma, according to the group’s website.

The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religious organization determined to halt “the dangerous encroachment of theocracy” into American government. The Chicago chapter was established in February.

COUNTY

Volunteer training set for court-appointed advocates

A Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer is a caring, consistent presence for an abused or neglected child in the court system. The program aims to reduce the amount of time children spend in foster care and help ensure that the child’s best interest is served in the court process. Volunteers are needed for this work, and an informational meeting will be held to drum up interest. A CASA meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Lakeview Library, 1137 W. Lake Ave., Peoria.

CASA of the Tenth Judicial Circuit also will hold an upcoming training session for those ready to become a CASA volunteer. It will start Jan. 12 and end Jan. 26, with the classes on Saturdays and some evenings. It will be held at Advanced Medical Transport, 1718 N. Sterling, Peoria. Prospective advocates must attend every class.  

For more information, call 309-669-2939, email casa@peoriacounty.org or visit facebook.com/CASAPeoriaCounty/ or CASAoftheTenth.org.

PEORIA

Police offer tips to guard against holiday package theft

This is the season for good tidings, joy — and stolen delivered packages.

Package theft is always a concern, but the holiday season brings an influx of delivered packages, which creates an even greater temptation for thieves, the Peoria Police Department warns. The department instructs the public that if you plan on having packages delivered, then enable the shipping and delivery notification options when purchasing your items. In addition, if you do not plan on being home during the designated delivery times, please arrange for a neighbor or friend to pick up the packages for safekeeping.

If shipping with UPS, FedEx, or the United States Postal Service, the following options are available:

United Parcel Service (UPS)
After your items are purchased from the online merchant, UPS will send a shipping notification. Upon receiving an email shipping confirmation, you may choose other options for delivery. In order to change delivery of your package, first locate the tracking number found in the shipping confirmation email. Go to ups.com/us/en/Home.page and enter your tracking number. From this page you may then choose to have your package held at the UPS Center, 520 W. Camp St., East Peoria, and pick it later; or in Peoria, have the package delivered to a locker system at 3016 W. Farmington Road; delivered to the UPS Store, 2601 W. Lake, or Fred’s Shoe Repair: 3033 N. University. If unsure of what option is best for you, call UPS at 309-699-2016.

FedEx
Locate the tracking ID number upon receiving a shipping confirmation email. Go to fedex.com/apps/fdmenrollment/ for the numerous delivery options offered. In addition, customers have the option to have packages delivered to the following secure locations in Peoria: FedEx Office Print & Ship Center, 3465 N. University, or FedEx Ship Center, 906 S. Bosch Road. Customers may also call 1-800-463-3339 for more information including arranging for delivery only when the customer is home.

United States Postal Service
Locate the tracking number upon receiving a shipping confirmation email. Go to usps.com/ to track your package and an estimated delivery date. This website may also be used to put a hold on all mail/packages for specified periods of time.

Residents may also call the following numbers to have packages held at the Post Office for pickup:

• Zip Codes 61604, 61606: call 309-691-2852,
• Zip Codes 61602, 61603, 61605: call 309-671-8924,
• Zip Codes 61614, 61615, 61616: call 309-692-9818.

If you have had a package stolen, call the Peoria Police Department at 309-673- 4521 to make a report.

Sports-theme eatery replaces shuttered restaurant

Peoria has a new restaurant. Pre-Game Pub & Grill opened Dec. 1 in the Metro Centre shopping area, 4712 N. University St. The sports-themed restaurant is owned by Jim and Michelle Anderson, a married couple that operated Snack Shack, a carry-out eatery in their hometown of Kewanee.

The Andersons were looking for something more permanent in either Kewanee, the Quad Cities or Peoria, and settled on the site of the former Smashburger, which closed in early 2017 after four years of business.

Pre-Game offers wait and to-go service from a menu that includes features hamburgers, Chicago-style hot dogs and pulled-pork sliders, among other dishes, appetizers and gluten-free selections. The restaurant is waiting for its liquor license.

–Peoria County News Briefs–