Police Blotter: Fireworks in a Mailbox; Funny Money

SUNDAY, JULY 24

Fireworks in a Mailbox

Police said that between 10:20 p.m. and 10:26 p.m., someone placed fireworks in the mailbox of a home in the 15900 block of Olcott Avenue. The box was mounted on a wall near the homeowner's front door. There was no permanent damage.

Funny Money

An employee at Holiday Inn, 18501 S. Convention Center Drive, called police around 12:50 p.m. after she was told three counterfeit $20 bills were used as payment at the business. "I observed no security strips on the bills and the images on the bills were blurry," the report said. "(The employee) advised me that several areas of the hotel receive cash for payment so determining who used the bills would not be possible." Staff said they believed the bills were used between 7 a.m. July 23 and 2 a.m. July 24.

SATURDAY, JULY 23

Driving Under the Influence

• Donald L. Panek, 40, of the 16600 block of South Hunter Trail, was arrested around midnight in the 17900 block of Harlem Avenue, police said. After reportedly failing field sobriety tests, he was charged with driving without the use of headlights when required, improper lane use and driving under the influence of alcohol. Panek had a blood-alcohol content of .19 once he reached the station, according to the report, and was additionally charged with driving with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08.
• Witnesses called police around 7:30 p.m. to the area of 167th Street and Oak Park Avenue, after they said they saw a driver "swerving in and around traffic." The driver also was wanted for a hit-and-run accident that had occurred about 15 minutes earlier, police said. Police soon pulled over the vehicle, which was being driven by Jesse R. Mosqueda, 44, of the 17100 block of Rochelle Lane. He was charged with felony driving under the influence, improper lane use, driving with a suspended/revoked license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

THURSDAY, JULY 21

Warrant Arrest

Wayne R. Shelby, 25, of the 59900 block of East Kaskaskia in Miama, Okla., was arrested around 1:20 p.m. at the Country Club Hills Police Department on a warrant out of Tinley Park for criminal damage to property. His bail was set at $5,000.

Graffiti

An employee of Jonker & Associates, 16555 Oak Park Ave., called police around 11:15 a.m. when spray paint was found on the southeast side of the building. Police said they believed the business was spray painted between 5 p.m. July 16 and 7 a.m. July 21. The paint, reading "DRO," was behind evergreen shrubs.

Disorderly Conduct

Justin M. Juliano, 26, of the 8900 block of West Dralle Road in Frankfort, was arrested around 8:15 p.m. in the 7100 block of 171st Street and charged with disorderly conduct.

MONDAY, JULY 18

Assisted Other Department

Tinley Park police assisted around 10:50 a.m. when the South Suburban Emergency Response Team (SSERT) was activated by the Homewood Police Department. A barricaded psychiatric patient armed with a knife was at a home in the 1700 block of Linden Road in Homewood. "Upon arrival, the SSERT set up a perimeter and established communications with the subject," according to the report. "The suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident." He ended up at the Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, the report said.