Police Arrest Three for Heroin Possession

Three men were arrested for drug possession and other offenses Monday after alert observations by Bannockburn Police Officer Dennis Sears turned a hunch into four felony arrests, according to Bannockburn Police reports.

Aaron Travis, 23, of Vernon Hills was charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, as well as misdemeanor claims of retail theft, driving under the influence of drugs, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and disobeying a stop sign, according to the report.

Stanley Rabenda, 48, of Chicago was arrested for retail theft and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies, along with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the report. John Bergner, 54, of Northlake, was also charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sears was on patrol in a marked squad car when he saw Travis drive into the Bannockburn Green parking lot, according to the report. He then observed Travis and Rabenda, the rear seat passenger, enter Walgreens with backpacks.

The report indicated Sears’ training taught him to be suspicious of these circumstances. “Based on my training and experience I believed the subjects may be headed inside to steal merchandise,” Sears wrote in the report.

After circling the parking lot, Sears saw Travis and Rabenda get into the vehicle and pull away, according to the report. When the car “rolled through the stop sign” and onto Waukegan Road, Sears gave chase and stopped the car in front of Deerfield High School.

Sears smelled burnt narcotics coming from the vehicle and elected to make a search, according to the report. He found a syringe on the ground next to the car door as well as more syringes, bottle caps covered with tin foil, body wash and shower gel. The substance in the bottle caps covered with foil tested positive for heroin.

After Travis, Rabenda and Bergner were transported to the police station, a more complete search of their persons indicated additional syringes and heroin, according to the report. Sears also contacted Walgreens and learned the personal care products were missing from the store’s shelves.

Bannockburn Police Chief Ron Price considers Sears’ effort an excellent example of good police work. “This is what an alert police officer out on patrol can do,” Price said. “He was out doing his job and sensed something was wrong.”

All three men remain in Lake County Jail unable to post bond, according to a spokesperson for the Lake County Sheriff’s office. Rabenda is being held on $5,000 bond and bail for Bergner is $2,500. They will appear in Lake County Court at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Waukegan.

Travis is being held on $10,000 bond. He will appear in Lake County court at 9 a.m. Dec. 14.