Blotter: Student Crawls Under Train To Get To Class; Man Allegedly Uses Pepper Spray On Police

The above items come from Northbrook Police Department reports. In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

RETAIL THEFT

On Jan. 9, an employee at the Sunglass Hut in observed a man and a woman “nervously” looking at a pair of Bulgari sunglasses, according to police.  The man signaled the woman with a head nod before the pair left abruptly.  The employee then noticed that a pair of purple Bulgari sunglasses with a retail value of $475 was missing.

Lingyan Feng, 38, of Chicago, was arrested Jan. 15 and charged with retail theft after she used scissors in a dressing room to remove the sensors from two shirts worth $379.10 and was stopped by security in the parking lot of the Lord and Taylor’s at Northbrook Court, police reported.  She was released on bond.

TRESPASSING AT THE METRA STATION

At the on Shermer Road, a Metra conductor saw a man crawl under the train when it was stopped going inbound, according to police. When the conductor confronted him, the man said he crawled under the train because he was late for classes at DePaul University. The Metra police department was contacted, and responded that they wanted to press charges.  They arrived at the depot and took custody of the subject.

RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY

On Jan. 15, a resident of Lori Lyn Lane came home to find the front door of the residence open.  Numerous drawers on the first and second floors were opened, and a 65'' flat screen television, two laptop computers, and a glass jug of change were missing.

BROKEN CAR WINDOWS

A driver returned to his car, which had been parked on Shermer Road next to some dumpsters, to find the driver's side window smashed on Jan. 10, according to police.  Nothing was reported missing from the vehicle.

STOLEN CATALYTIC CONVERTER

On Jan. 11, an unknown person removed a catalytic converter from a truck parked in a lot overnight in the 3100 block of Doolittle Road, police reported.  The loss was estimated at $2,400.

STOLEN IPHONE, WATCH AT LOCAL SCHOOLS

On Jan. 11, a student at reported the theft of his iPhone from the school cafeteria.

A woman accidently left a Tag Heuer watch, valued at $1,300, on her desk at . According to police, the watch was gone when she returned in the morning.

DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE

Henry Herrera-Martinenz, 29, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with driving with suspended registration, driving an uninsured vehicle, and driving with a suspended license after he was stopped for traffic at the corner of Skokie and Dundee roads Jan. 11, police reported.

WARRANT ARRESTS

Matthew Camper, 29, of Glencoe, was contacted by an officer regarding a warrant for his arrest due to a charge of driving under the influence, police reported. He agreed to come in to the police department Jan. 12, was arrested and placed in a cell pending a bond hearing.

Rodolfo Fernandez, 36, of Chicago, was stopped Jan. 12 for traffic violations and found to be wanted on an Oakbrook warrant, police reported.  He was arrested, with bond pending.

Michael Schmidt, 53, of Northbrook, was arrested and charged with crimes against person and aggravated battery to a police officer, after officers came to his residence to serve a Lake County arrest warrant Jan. 13, according to police.  The defendant's mother said he was not at home, but consented to a search of the place. The officers were in the process of searching the basement when the defendant sprayed an officer with pepper spray, police reported.  The man claimed he didn't know the officers were police, was ordered to drop the pepper spray, and was escorted upstairs.  Felony charges for aggravated battery to a police officer were approved, and the defendant was placed in a cell pending a bond hearing.

On Jan. 12, a man driving a red four-door vehicle with tinted windows, a smiley face sticker and a blue sticker in the rear window approached the playground where four fourth graders were playing. The driver moved over to the front passenger seat, rolled down the window and beckoned the children to come over to his vehicle, according to police.  The children did not approach the vehicle, and the man left, heading eastbound on Cherry.

POSSESSION OF CANNABIS

Margaret Nelson, 19, of Northbrook, was charged with possession of cannabis, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no rear taillight when she was stopped for traffic Jan. 13 on Walters Avenue, police reported.  She was issued citations.

At the same traffic stop, Caitlin Fox, 19, of Northbrook, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, consumption by a minor, and possession of cannabis, police reported.  She was issued citations.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Alyse Ratchford, 29, of Northfield, was arrested Jan. 15 and charged with improper lane usage, driving without valid insurance, and driving under the influence after being stopped for traffic violations, police reported. She was released on bond. 

Gene Cottini, 55, of Deerfield, was arrested and charged with improper lane usage and driving under the influence after being stopped for traffic violations Jan. 15, police reported.  He was released on bond. 

Tracy Berger, 22, of Northbrook, was arrested Jan. 16 and charged with driving under the influence and driving without insurance, police reported.  The defendant was processed and released on bond.

ZERO TOLERANCE

Curt Papas, 18, of Skokie, was arrested Jan. 15 and charged with possession of alcohol by a minor, possession of drug paraphernalia and improper lane usage after being stopped for traffic violations, police reported.  He was released on bond.