AURORA

Seniors targeted in burglary ruses

Aurora Police are investigating reports from two senior citizens who were scammed into letting burglars into their homes.

The latest incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27 in the 900 block of Mason Avenue.

A 76-year-old man, who police said is a retired U.S. Marine and not in good health, reported that a woman came to his door, knocked on it, and when he opened it, she pushed his way past him saying she needed to use the bathroom.

Due to his health issues and being caught off-guard, the victim could not immediately follow the woman. By the time the man could react, he found the woman gone, the back door open and his wallet with an undisclosed amount of cash missing.

He described the suspect as African-American, between 27- and 32-years-old, 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-10, 180 to 200 lbs., with short black hair. She was wearing all dark clothing. A dark blue SUV similar to a GMC Envoy with lower front end damage may have been involved. The victim was not injured.

Around 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, a 71-year-old man who lives in the 300 block of Zengle Avenue, lost a significant amount of money due to a ruse burglary.

The suspect knocked on the front door of the victim’s house and told the man his roof needed repairing. The suspect succeeded in talking the man into taking him into the basement to check for leaks caused by the bad roof and then out to the backyard.

After the suspect left, the victim realized the cash was missing. It is thought that a second person entered the home and stole the money while the original suspect distracted the homeowner.

The suspect was described as Hispanic, about 35- to 40-years-old, 5-foot-7, 160 lbs. and wearing a green jacket and hat. He may have been driving a black pickup truck.

Anyone with information on either incident should call Investigations at 630-256-5500 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers. Tips called into Crime Stoppers that lead to any arrests are eligible for cash rewards and all callers are kept anonymous.

AURORA

Officers honored for saving suicidal man

Three Aurora Police officers have been named Employees of the Month for saving a suicidal man.

Officers Wes Boyer, Aaron Spooner and Irene Carollo were selected for their actions on a call for a man attempting suicide at a home on the Near East Side. Upon arrival to the call, the officers met with family members of the man who expressed a grave concern that he would take his own life. Minutes later, the man appeared on a roof, three stories from the ground.

Officer Carollo proceeded to a rear alleyway and began talking to the man to keep his attention, while Officers Boyer and Spooner called for an Aurora Fire Department ladder truck.

When the truck arrived and while Officer Carollo still had the man’s attention, Officer Boyer had firefighters raise him to the roof where he exited the ladder truck’s box.

Officer Boyer closed the distance between himself and the man, just as the man made an indication he was going to jump. Officer Spooner then engaged the man verbally just as it appeared again that he was going to jump.

Officer Boyer grabbed the man from behind, wrapped his arms around him, and pulled the man back. Paramedics were then able to assist and take the man to a hospital.

Because of the coordination and teamwork of Officers Boyer, Spooner and Carollo, the victim was taken out of harm’s way and to a facility where he could get the help he needed.

KANE COUNTY

Russell elected president of state coroner’s group

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell has been elected president of the Illinois Coroners and Medical Examiner Association.

The unanimous vote occurred at the ICMEA annual fall training conference.

“I am very humbled and honored to be trusted with this opportunity and look forward to working with the members by continuing the great work these members have done,” Russell said. “We all realize the tremendous moral responsibility we have in serving our public, typically under dire circumstances. We do not take that lightly, and we have no other agenda other than that.”

The ICMEA is comprised of all 101 county coroners and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Department. According to its website, the ICMEA is a not-for-profit corporation for the purpose of uniting the members of the organization and upgrading the office of coroner and professionalizing it through the exchange of ideas and development of educational programs.

“When you become elected as a coroner in this state, we are not Democrats or Republicans, Green Party or others,” Russell said. “This organization has always operated in a collaborative manner. We serve everybody and respect the outcome of the political process.”

Russell said that, as ICMEA president, he hopes to encourage other jurisdictions to become accredited, noting that Kane County is the first accredited coroner’s office in the state. Cook County recently obtained accredited status, while Lake, Kendall, DuPage and others at various stages of the process of accreditation.

Russell’s term as president is one year.

ST. CHARLES

City resumes leaf collection this week

 City of St. Charles leaf collection resumes Monday, Dec. 3, as the second round of regularly scheduled collections continues.

The service was delayed due to this week’s blizzard, in which St. Charles received 10” of snow, according to the National Weather Service.

“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we continue to dig through the snow and storm debris from the blizzard,” said Public Works Manager A.J. Reineking.

In addition, Lakeshore Recycling Services also will collect bagged leaves free of charge throughout the month of December.

For more information, contact Public Works at 630.377.4405 or pw@stcharlesil.gov.

AURORA

16-year-old charged in technology thefts

A16-year-old Aurora girl has been charged with five counts of theft in connection with several incidents in which she allegedly stole either iWatches or iPhones from people advertising them for sale on social media.

The first theft occurred around 3 p.m. Sept. 13 in the 400 block of Avon St. where the girl stole a $350 iWatch from a 22 year old Chicago man. While looking the watch over, the 16 year old told the man and two friends he was with that she was going to get a soft drink from inside of a home she claimed was her residence. When she didn’t return after several minutes, the three others went to look for her and found a chair propped up against a fence and the suspect nowhere to be seen. She apparently used the chair to jump the fence and run from the area.

Around 5:40 p.m. Oct. 7, the girl stole a $320 iWatch from a 21 year old Gurnee woman in the 200 block of S. Lincoln Ave. While examining the watch, the suspect ran from the scene after the victim went to wake up her boyfriend who was sleeping in the victim’s vehicle nearby. Around 3:45 p.m. the next day, the girl stole a $400 iWatch from a 54 year old Chicago man in the 300 block of Avon St., again by running from the scene after the victim gave her the watch to look at.

Around 11:10 a.m. Oct. 28, the 16 year old took a $1,000 IPhone from a 47 year old Naperville woman after the suspect said she had to show the device to her grandmother who supposedly lived in an apartment in the 1200 block of Monomoy St. When she didn’t return after several minutes, the victim knocked on the apartment door but no one answered.

Finally, around 2 p.m. Nov. 2, the girl stole another $1,000 IPhone, this time from a 38 year old Oswego man after meeting him in the area of Gladstone and Victory Court. Once again, she ran from the scene after the man handed her the IPhone to look at.

The five cases serve as important reminders of the parking spaces police have reserved in the east lot for citizens to conduct internet-based transactions. Remember— if you set up a transaction on the internet or social media, and the other party balks at the idea of meeting at the police department to conduct the business, they may have nefarious intentions.

BATAVIA

Starfish Animal Rescue fundraiser Dec. 9

Starfish Animal Rescue, a Batavia-based no-kill shelter, will hold an annual bake sale, pizza lunch and gift basket raffle fundraiser from noon to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9, at Riverside Pizza & Pub,102 E. Main St. in St. Charles.

The public is invited. Admission is free. 

Homemade baked goods, half-priced pizza, a 50-50 raffle and festive gift baskets will be featured. Proceeds will benefit Starfish animal-rescue operations.

With a shelter at 167 Oswalt St. in Batavia, Starfish mobilizes volunteers to drive dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from rural Kentucky communities for adoption or fostering in Chicago-area homes.

–Kane County News Briefs–