Police Blotter: Retail Theft; Taxi Cab Driver Roughs up Passenger

THURSDAY, DEC. 1

Retail Theft

Arunas Viburys, 52, of the 3200 block of Iona Court in Olympia Fields, was arrested around 4:20 p.m. at Super Kmart, 16300 Harlem Avenue in . A loss prevention officer at the store said he saw Viburys shoplift a steel brush and audio recorder valued at a total of $45.77. He was charged with retail theft. His bail was set at $1,500.

THURSDAY, NOV. 24 

Taxi Cab Driver Roughs up Passenger

An Orland Park man flagged down police early Thursday in the 8000 block of West 159th Street, where he told them he had been battered by a taxi cab driver.

The man didn't want to file a report at that time — 2:20 a.m. — but did stop in the around 3:45 p.m. to make a complaint. He said that around 1:45 a.m., he had hopped in a cab with two friends who were leaving Durbin's on Oak Park Avenue.

After the taxi drove to the first stop on 81st Avenue, the fare was $11. The victim said that as the driver made his way onto 80th Avenue, the fare became $21. 

"(The victim) stated to the taxi driver that $21 was too much and he was not paying the fare," the report said. "(He) gave the driver $15 and got out of the taxi." 

The driver then got out of the car and demanded the rest of the money, according to the report. The victim said the driver grabbed him by the shoulders and wrestled him to the ground.

"The driver tried to reach into (the man's) pants pocket for the rest of the fare money but was unsuccessful," the report said. "(The man) stated his cell phone fell out of his pocket and the driver grabbed it and got back into his taxi … stating he will give back the cell phone when the rest of the fare is paid." 

The victim was able to grab his cell phone from the driver's hand. The driver then sped off in an unknown direction.

The victim said that he lost his credit card sometime during the night and that there was an unauthorized purchase made at a gas station. He signed a complaint against the driver for battery, but the suspect had not been located as of Dec. 1. He gave police a description of the cab and the driver. 

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