WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – A group of non-English-speaking bicycle theft suspects in Western Springs were released and given directions to the local train station earlier this month, police said.
Patch obtained the partially blacked-out police report through a public records request.
Shortly after noon June 9, police said they were called about several youths stealing bicycles at the Western Springs Pool, 1300 Hillgrove Ave.
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A couple of Western Springs officers found three people matching the description of the suspects. While the officers spoke with them, a woman and her son said one of the bikes in possession of the three people was her son’s.
The bike was then turned over to her son, who said his bike was left unattended and unlocked in the rack, police said.
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Another officer approached a group of suspects in the 1200 block of Hillgrove Avenue. They got out of a red sedan and walked away from the officer, according to the report.
The officer asked them if they knew who stole the bikes. The people said they did not know, acknowledging they met the other group of suspects at the pool, police said.
Because of the language barrier, a La Grange Park officer arrived to help with translating. Police said they then learned the suspects had no forms of identification.
A victim and a witness did not request any more action against the suspects, police said. So the people were photographed and released to go to the train station, police said. Many of the suspects were listed as living in Chicago.
Later, a white and red bike was found at Hillgrove and Grand avenues and a purple and green one was in the 900 block of Burlington Avenue, the report said. Both were brought to the pool and claimed by youths. Both youths said the bikes were unattended and unlocked in the rack.
The Western Springs Service Club, which runs the pool, reminded its members to lock their bikes in the racks.
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