Police Blotter: Teens Caught Smoking Pot & School Parking Lot Thefts

Drug Bust:

On Feb. 5 officers noticed a man walking across Waukegan Road towards Deerbrook Mall. The Des Plaines resident identified himself as Michael Keane and said he was headed to for a beverage. After running his name through the Secretary of State’s database police discovered Keane had an extensive criminal history. Officers asked if they could search him and the 28-year old agreed. Authorities found a hypodermic needle in his pocket as well as a silver spoon with a white residue. Keane was charged for both.

Police were tipped off on Feb. 7 about a suspicious vehicle with occupants possibly smoking marijuana inside. When officers responded to Montgomery Road and Elizabeth Court they found a Mercedes-Benz with two minors inside. Authorities immediately smelled marijuana and say the teens confessed to smoking a joint. The 16-year-old from Bannockburn and 17-year-old from Riverwoods were apprehended, charged and released to their parents at the police station.

Underage Drinking:

Officers spotted a car pull into a driveway behind several closed businesses around 2 a.m. on Feb. 6. When police followed the vehicle they watched a young driver take out several bags from his trunk and throw them into a dumpster behind . Authorities say when the driver noticed the squad car he quickly got back into his vehicle and drove away. When police pulled the car over, the 17-year old driver told officers he and his passenger were on their way home from the train station after a night out downtown. Police say the teen had bloodshot eyes and they smelled alcohol on his passenger. After searching the car, police found several bottles of alcohol including Jagarmeister, Bacardi and Smirnoff Vodka. Both teens were charged. Their court dates are set for March. 3.

Drunk Driving: 

On Feb. 6 officers responded to an Infiniti stuck in the snow on Lake Cook Road. When police questioned 32-year-old Kanstantsh Ban about how he’d gotten stuck in the median he responded, “I don’t know.” Officers say they smelled alcohol on Ban and after failing a sobriety test charged him with a DUI. Police also confiscated a wooden box in the Deerfield resident’s possession that contained a green leafy substance inside. Ban was also charged with possession of marijuana. His court date is set for March 2. 

Car Break-In:

On Feb. 4 police were called to the parking lot of . A woman told officers she parked her car in the back lot while dropping off her daughter. The driver says her doors were not locked. When she returned someone had stolen her Kate Spade purse. She had cash, credit cards and a cell phone inside the purse. The woman told officers she noticed a suspicious vehicle sitting in the rear lot when she initially parked there.

A couple hours later police were called to the parking lot in connection to another car break in. A driver told officers someone had broken her window and stolen her Coach purse while she was inside. Her doors were locked at the time. Evidence showed, “A suspect leaned through the broken window and removed the purse.” Cash and several credit cards were taken.

Locker Theft:

On Feb. 6 officers responded to an alleged theft at Ballys. The victim told authorities someone had smashed the lock off his locker and stolen $45 from inside his wallet.