Wilmette Police Blotter: Teens Light Tire Fire Near School with Portable Propane Tank

Last week: Romney Signs Stolen and Car 'Keyed'

Criminal Damage

A 14-year-old was charged with criminal damage to property and 13-year-old was charged with criminal defacement after the two juveniles were arrested for reportedly lighting a bicycle tire on fire while it was secured to the west bicycle racks of Highcrest Middle School, 569 Hunter Rd., sometime before 8:54 p.m. on Oct. 2. According to the police report, the Wilmette Fire Department arrived on the scene shortly afterward to extinguish the flame. Soon after, a woman walking in a nearby park told police officers that she had recently observed four teens walking in the park and that one teen was wearing a white and black hooded sweatshirt. A Wilmette fireman near the scene reported seeing a group matching the suspects’ descriptions walking northbound on Illinois Road, near Hunter Road. All four teens were detained and transported to the police station. Police contacted a parent or guardian for each teen, and officers proceeded to conduct interviews with the suspects at the police station. Police reported finding a small propane tank with a torch, valued at $1,500, in the backpack of one teen and three sharpie markers on the person of another. Two teens were released to their father at 11:55 p.m. without being charged. The 14-year-old was driven home by police at 12:31 a.m., and the 13-year-old was driven home about an hour later.

Theft

A silver and blue Trek mountain bike valued at $300 was stolen from the Metra train station, 722 Green Bay Rd., sometime between 7 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on Oct. 5. Officer also discovered a cut combination bicycle cable lock that did not belong to the victim while searching the area for evidence.

A blue mountain bike and a bike helmet with a combined value of $225 was stolen from a bike rack in the 500 block of Hunter Road sometime between 8 a.m. on Oct. 1 and 8 a.m. on Oct. 3. The bike lock was also stolen, though no valuation for the object was provided.

Burglary

An unknown offender stole a black mountain bike valued at $500 from the garage of a resident located in the 1500 block of Central Avenue sometime between noon on Sept. 19 and noon on Oct. 3.

Assault

A 40-year-old man reportedly chased his coworker with two hammers, smashed the coworker’s cell phone and damaged the hood of the coworker’s car, all while the two men were working at a business in the 500 block of Green Bay Road at approximately 8:46 a.m. on Oct. 8. According to the police report, the victim told police that while he was at work, the offender approached him, threatened him and began cursing. After a verbal altercation, the offender reportedly grabbed two hammers before being restrained by two other coworkers. Before leaving, the offender reportedly smashed the victim’s cell phone with a hammer and then damaged the hood of the victim’s car with an unknown object. The case has been forwarded to Wilmette Police Department detectives.

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