Stolen Bike Returned to Owner in River Forest

Riverside, IL — A stolen bicycle worth about $800 was returned to its owner after Riverside police arrested a man June 25 who was riding the bike aimlessly in the middle of the night.

Earl I. Toomer, 21 of the 1500 block of South Kedvale in Chicago, was charged with one count of misdemeanor theft, according to Riverside police.

Toomer was on parole at the time of his arrest for a conviction on seven burglary charges from 2013. He'd been arrested in Riverside and sentenced to 3 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for those crimes, according to Riverside police.

An officer on routine residential patrol saw Toomer was dressed in dark clothing, riding the bicycle at Nuttall and Loudon roads around 1 a.m. June 25. Toomer appeared to be wandering from one driveway to another, police reported.

The officer stopped Toomer, who gave his ID card but wouldn't speak. The officer recognized Toomer from his previous Riverside arrest in 2013.

The bicycle's serial number showed it was reported stolen out of River Forest on June 23.

Toomer was arrested, but he wouldn't speak to police or Riverside or River Forest detectives at the station. Police report Toomer had an iPod mini, a senior citizen's free public transportation pass and keys that weren't his.

Toomer's criminal history includes burglary, theft, assault, traffic and drug offenses, police reported.

Riverside police requests for felony charges based on Toomer's criminal background and parole status were rejected by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The Illinois Department of Corrections also rejected a request to file a violation because of Toomer's parole status.

The bicycle was returned to its owner in River Forest. Toomer is being held at the Cook County Department of Corrections on a $10,000 bond.

Photo courtesy of Riverside police.