Cops: Two Steal 'For Heroin Medicine,' Thief Stuffs Cocaine in Bra, and More

TUESDAY, FEB. 14

Paraphernalia Warrant

Thomas E. Stewart, 29, of the 2500 block of Golf Road in Joliet, was arrested around 12:50 a.m. in the 7800 block of West 166th Place in , on a warrant out of LaSalle County for possession of drug paraphernalia. His bail was set at $5,000.

MONDAY, FEB. 13

Fence Damaged

Sometime between 8 p.m. Feb. 12 and 11 a.m. Feb. 13, someone damaged a fence outside Menard's, 6851 159th St., Tinley Park. Police said there were various pry marks on the fence and broken pieces lying on the ground. 

SATURDAY, FEB. 11

Thief Stuffs Cocaine in Bra

Police charged an Oak Forest woman with battery, retail theft and possession of a controlled substance Saturday when she tried stealing a coil nail gun from a local hardware store, they said.

Gretchen A. Budde, 38, of the 5800 block of Independence Avenue in Oak Forest, was arrested around 8 p.m. Saturday at Menards, 6851 W. 159th St., Tinley Park. Police said store security stopped Budde after they noticed she hid a $312 Hitachi "coil nailer" under her coat.

At that time, Budde reportedly shoved the loss prevention officer, police said. While being placed under arrest, she handed over a stash of cocaine that she'd stuffed in her bra, they said. She was charged with felony retail theft, possession of a controlled substance, and battery. Staff at Menards gave police video surveillance and photographs of the incident.

Surveillance Spots Computer Thief

A security staff member at Best Buy said that around 2:25 p.m., surveillance footage shows a man stealing a $900 computer from the store, which is located at 7330 W. 191st St., Tinley Park.

The man picks up the computer off the shelf and walks toward the front of the store where he pretends to look at a phone display. At that time, another man walks up to the nearest store employee and begins distracting him while the thief leaves.

Video surveillance of the parking lot shows both men entering the same car. Police were able to identify the registered owner of the vehicle and staff at Best Buy agreed to sign complaints if the two are arrested. 

Fake Landlord

Police were called to a residence in the first block of Delphi Court in Tinley Park for a report of people living in a home that wasn't being legally rented to them.

The group, which included three tenants, said they'd made arrangements to pay $300 a month to the landlord of the property. However, the property's owners are that of a local church and the residence isn't owned by the person collecting money from the tenants, police said.

One of the tenants had been living in the home for the past month or so, according to the report, and two others arrived last week from Texas. The tenants were discovered around 3:30 p.m. when realtor brought two potential buyers to the property. The real owners of the property asked that everyone leave. No complaints were signed.

Warrant Arrest

• Shaun L. Johnson, 27, of the 1800 block of East 173rd Place in South Holland, Mich., was arrested around 12:20 a.m. at a local hotel on a warrant out of Lansing, Mich. Police encountered Johnson while investigating an unrelated call, they said. 

• Efrain T. Orduna, 39, of the 16700 block of Hillside Place in Tinley Park, was arrested around 4:45 p.m. in the 16700 block of Lakewood Drive in Tinley Park, on a warrant out of Harvey for driving with a suspended license. He was also charged with driving without a valid driver's license and his bail was set at $4,000.

FRIDAY, FEB. 10

Two Steal 'For Heroin Medicine'

Police arrested a man and a woman last week who they said jacked seven video games from Super Kmart so they could pay for medicine to treat their heroin addictions, according to the report. Samantha M. Giles, 18, and Jean-Francois M. Deleon, 19, both of the 8900 block of Beacon Court in Orland Hills, were arrested around 7:30 p.m. at Super Kmart, 16300 Harlem Ave., Tinley Park, and charged with one count each of retail theft. Police said they caught the duo taking $107 worth of video games that they said they needed "to get money for their heroin medicine," the report said. Their bail was set at a combined $3,000.

Police report information is provided by the  and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to  We will verify and report the outcome. 

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