Warrant Scam, Stolen Bike, Hospital Disturbance: Downers Grove Blotter

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — A Downers Grove woman was recently scammed out of nearly $500 after someone posing as a local police officer told her she needed to pay as there was a warrant out for her arrest after he said she had missed a court date, police said.

Police said the woman received a phone call from the person claiming to be a sergeant with the Downer Grove Police Department. The man informed the woman that she owed $480 if she wanted the warrant removed, according to a police report.

The woman said she was instructed to go to a local Walgreens store and obtain a MoneyPak in the amount of $480 to absolve the bond, police said. The caller then told the woman not to come to the police department, but instead to provide him with the number on the back of the MoneyPak.

For 30 minutes, the caller kept the woman on hold, police said, and told her that her payment was still processing. The man then put her on hold and told her he had to use the restroom before the call disconnected. She called the Downers Grove Police Department and recounted the story before being told by police officers she had been scammed.

Police have reported receiving similar calls to this scam and have obtained voicemails from another local resident who did not fall prey to the scam, police said. Police currently have no one in custody in connection with the scam.

In other incidents, police handled complaints of the theft of a bicycle, which was reported stolen from the Main Street Depot.

Police were also called to Good Samaritan Hospital for the report of a disturbance on July 22. Police said that a patient who was receiving care became manic and demanded to leave, police said. Police said that the man left his hospital room while still connected to an IV and said that he wanted to “shoot this place up” and wanted to “cause a mass shooting.”

The man was arrested after telling police that he did not intend to carry out any of the threats and that he did not have a gun in his possession. The man was arrested and released on an I-Bond, police said. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 30.

Police also responded to the report of a stolen license plate.