Police: Man took Rolex in ‘ bait- and- switch’ theft
A northwest suburban man selling his Rolex watch for more than $ 5,000 got quite the rude surprise when he opened the envelope containing the cash and only found $ 150.
As a result, Cristian Daniel Constantinescu, 25, faces one felony count of theft, according to Vernon Hills police.
On Oct. 15, the victim reported to police that he had met Constantinescu at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills to sell his Rolex, which he had listed for sale on the OfferUp website for $ 5,500.
He met Constantinescu at the mall, where the watch and money exchanged hands, police said. Constantinescu then told the victim he would put the money into an envelope, so the victim handed the cash back to him. Constantinescu handed the envelope back, and the two went their separate ways.
The victim later discovered the envelope contained only $ 150, mostly in singles.
On Oct. 24, police learned Constantinescu was possibly preparing to conduct another transaction in a western suburb, police said. He was then taken into custody.
Constantinescu, whose address was not known, was at the Lake County Jail on a $ 250,000 bond, police said.
Jordan Owen
Woman fatally struck by car on South Side
A 22- year- old woman was fatally struck by a car Wednesday night on the South Side.
Shortly before 11 p. m., Brenda Marer was lying in the street in the 7700 block of South Cottage Grove when she was struck by a Toyota Corolla, according to Chicago Police.
Marer, of Oak Lawn, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. The male driver of the Toyota was not injured, police said. No citations were issued. Ashlee Rezin
5 Chinatown robberies by men in ski masks
Chicago Police are warning of men in ski masks who have committed at least five robberies in the South Side Chinatown and Armour Square neighborhoods.
Between two and four men approach the victims and demand their property, according to Chicago Police. In some of the robberies, the victims’ vehicle was taken. The robberies happened: † about 11: 30 p. m. Oct. 23 in the 2100 block of South China Place;
† about 2 a. m. Oct. 27 in the 2100 block of South China Place;
† at 11: 56 p. m. Oct. 30 in the 2900 block of South Stewart;
† at 12: 24 a. m. Oct. 31 in the 2100 block of South China Place; and
† at 1: 44 a. m. Nov. 2 in the 2400 block of South Wentworth.
The suspects are described as between two and four black men between 20 and 30 years old, 5- foot- 9 and 6- foot and about 180 pounds, police said. They were wearing ski masks and drove a silver or black SUV.
Sun- Times Wire
Threat to blow up bus on I- 80 proves hoax
A passenger threatened to blow up a charter bus that was headed to Chicago on Wednesday night, but the threat proved to be a hoax.
About 9: 30 p. m., the bus was heading east on I- 80 near Ridge Road in Minooka when a passenger threatened to blow it up, according to Illinois State Police.
The bus pulled over on the ramp to Ridge Road, and state troopers, along with local fire and police departments, secured the area, police said. No injuries were reported, and no weapons or explosive devices were found on the bus.
The suspect who made the threat was taken into protective custody and taken to a hospital for evaluation, police said. The bus was allowed to continue to Chicago, police said.
Jordan Owen
63- year- old woman charged with selling heroin
A 63- year- old woman has been charged with selling heroin in the northwest suburbs.
A monthlong investigation started when police received several complaints of suspicious activity at a house in the 8300 block of North Solon Road in Richmond, according to the McHenry County sheriff ’s office.
Brenda Haseman, of Richmond, was arrested after a search of the house Wednesday found 84 individual bags of heroin, 10 Alprazolam pills, packaging materials and $ 1,629 in cash, the sheriff ’s office said. The street value of the 1,780. drugs was $
Nader Issa