COVID mandate violators keep cops busy


Several restaurants and businesses drew police response to complaints about violations of the state mandate against indoor dining. While most operators cooperated with police, several, according to reports, were defiant or had customers who were reluctant to cooperate.

In a one case, police were summoned to a health spa on Busch Parkway in response to possible violations of the Governor's COVID mask mandate.

Reports say the responding officer had difficulty accessing the facility to talk to staff. According to reports, a receptionist who reportedly had clear view of the uniformed officer kept walking away from the entrance where the officer was until she was out of sight. The officer was finally able to gain access after he noticed two men, both not wearing masks, opened the door.  Reports say there was no indication that the facility was not open to the public.

Reports say the officer was able to talk with a man who said he was not an employee, but an attorney who reportedly told the officer he did not have probable cause to enter the building.

According to reports, when the officer inquired if the business was open to the public, the attorney said he was not certain if the building was, in fact, a business.

The officer, reports say, told the man that he was investigating violations of the Governor's executive order regarding wearing masks indoors.

But wait, there’s more.

According to reports, the officer was able to talk with an employee at the reception desk to discuss the situation with a manager.

While he was waiting, reports say the officer “observed 12 people moving around the hallway and reception area” and four were not wearing masks:

When the officer discussed the matter with the manager, he was told that everyone in the building was wearing masks. When the officer informed the manager of his observations, the manager allegedly told the officer that there was nothing that stated the persons in the business were required to wear masks

The officer, reports say, “directed his attention to the sign posted on the door which informed those entering that they are, in fact, required to wear masks.”

A request by the officer to check other areas of the club was denied by the manager. Reports indicate that as the officer left the club, he was observed by the man who said he was an attorney and the receptionist.

Police report that they went back to the club after receiving another complaint of approximately 100 patrons inside the cafe area dining.

The responding officer said he was again met by the manager who declined to give him access to check the cafeteria area to verify reports of indoor dining. The officer was told by the owner that he would have one of his managers would follow up with the village.

Reports say the officer “observed approximately 50 vehicles in the parking lot” as he left the facility. Stay tuned.

      In a second incident, reports say a restaurant manager said he was aware of the ban on indoor dining, but said a customer threatened not to return to patronize the facility if their group of 12 could not eat inside. The manager said he was “given orders” to retain customers.

      Police report a third case where they had to stop at another restaurant twice in a week’s time on reports of indoor dining. On both occasions, police spoke with restaurant staff about the requirement form employees to wear masks. Police also reminded restaurant management about the ban on indoor dining. According to reports, the manager said “he understood, but he also said they were trying to make money to survive."

Despite the police advice, reports say they were summoned back to the facility a few hours later in response to an anonymous complaint. When officers returned, they found that staff members were wearing masks but there were also 12 customers eating inside the restaurant. Police again reminded the manager that he wasn't supposed to have customers eating inside and, say reports, he again said he understood.

Police also report that they were summoned to the Starbucks in the 1000 block of Dundee Road in response to a complaint about a customer who refused to leave. Reports says the customer refused to eat outside. The manager said she asked the woman to eat her food outside multiple times because of the Governor's order, but she refused to leave.

Police reports say the woman did not want to eat outdoors because she sat down and started eating her food indoors before anyone mentioned anything to her and by the time she'd gather all her things again, the food would be cold.  She claimed there were no signs posted stating the indoor dining area was closed.

** Sliding door damaged – A resident in the 0-100 block of Villa Verde Drive explained someone threw a rock at her glass sliding door and ran to a white Nissan sedan.

In a second case in the area, a resident told police his glass sliding door to his living room was damaged. The resident told police he also found a note with an unsavory message.

Police also talked to the man’s neighbor who said he heard two loud thumping sounds outside of his window earlier in the evening.

** Bogus food order -- A manager at fraudulent purchase at Mug's Pizza and Ribs restaurant reported a fraudulent purchase. The manager said the order was for $60. the Police says the restaurant uses ChowNow for food services, but no one had picked up the food. The manager said he was contacted by a woman who said she received a confirmation code for the order but she never ordered any food. She told the manager that she believed her account was hacked and her credit card was used to make the purchase.

** Unverified Amazon return – A resident told police that an effort to return packages to Amazon and wanted to contact their customer service. She checked Google for what she thought was the Amazon Prime customer service number and called it. The woman told police that she spoke with someone who only identified himself as "David." The resident said when she spoke with the person over the phone, he informed her that her account was hacked and in order to fix her issue, she needed to go Walgreens and take out three $200 gift cards and send him the numbers. “David” told the woman that he found the first hacker in Detroit and she needed to get more cards so they can find the other ones. The woman went to Walgreens and CVS where she got six more cards bringing the total to $1,800. When David asked her to get more cards, she became suspicious.

** Another Amazon scam nets $7,000 -- A resident told police he was contacted by “Eric” from Amazon to fix his account. He was instructed to obtain $7,000 in gift cards and provide the account numbers. The man told police he went to his bank, withdrew $7,000, and purchased gift cards at Best Buy and Target.

** Cooker swiped -- Police report that a black smoke cooker was stolen from outside the back of a restaurant in the 100 block of McHenry Road. It was valued at $500.

** Medicare renewal scam -- A resident in the 1100 block of Satinwood told police that an unknown person came to her house, claiming he was going to help her renew her Medicare. The resident provided her driver’s license, social security card, passport identification number, and Visa credit card to this person. The woman told police she believed the person was going to return this week and bring back the above listed items. The man was described as a white male about 25 year of age with, light brown hair, around 5’7” with a medium build, good looking and wearing a suit.

** Sudsy suspect – Police were summoned to the Bucky’s at Dundee and Buffalo Grove roads in response to a report of a theft of beer. Police were told the person suspected of stealing the beer was in the lot drinking what he had just walked out of the store with. Police located the man, who to no surprise, was described as being “visibly intoxicated and acting belligerent.” According to reports, the man allegedly stole two 24-ounce cans of Steel Reserve from the cooler and left without paying.

** Stupid is as stupid does – You sometimes have to wonder who some people get drivers’ licenses. For example, the BGPD reports in the past 14 days there have been four arrests for DUI, two for driving without insurance, three for driving on a revoked or suspended license, four for driving without a license, and one for driving with possession of open liquor. Hey, let’s be careful out there.

Community News

Budget hearing set -- The village will hold a public hearing on the 2021 Buffalo Grove budget will take place starting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16.  This meeting will be held virtually only on Zoom. A draft of the budget is available at this link.

Residents urged to stay at home – With COVID cases reaching record levels, Illinois residents are being asked to stay inside. Cook County residents are under a “say-at-home” advisory for 30 days. Lake County residents are not under an advisory, but are encouraged to follow the same guidelines.

Increase in COVID cases pushes D102, D21 to virtual classes –  As cases of Coronavirus skyrocket, D102 is providing instruction virtually. The more mirrors the decision by other suburban school districts. No date has been determined for a return to in-building classes. School District 21 made the same announcement on Friday, Nov. 13.

Village, firefighters’ union agree on three-year pact – Buffalo Grove fire fighters, paramedics and other officers will see annual pay increases ranging between 2 and 2.5 percent thanks a three-year contract approved by the Village. 


Rotary to distribute food to the needy –
Members of the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club are scheduled to pack boxes of food for area needy families on Tuesday. An estimated 150 boxes will be assembled with a variety of food and other items, all of which were donated by Garden Fresh Market.

Cops collecting for ‘Toys for Tots’ -- The Buffalo Grove Police Department is once again participating in ‘Toys for Tots’, a charitable campaign started by the United States Marine Corps that benefits less fortunate children around the holiday season.

The BGPD has served as a collection site for new and unwrapped toys for the past several decades. Donation boxes are located in the lobby of the Buffalo Grove Police Department, 46 Raupp Boulevard, where area residents can drop off new and unwrapped toys 24 hours a day seven days a week. Donations can be dropped off through midnight Sunday, Dec. 6. Members of the Marine Corps will distribute the donations to children in need leading up to the holidays.

For more information, contact the Buffalo Grove Police Department at (847) 459-2560 or visit toysfortots.org.

Library offers app to spice up your cooking – Residents looking to add some zip to their recipes can access the ‘Kanopy’ app.  Instructions are at this link.

Schneider announces “Holiday Cards for Heroes” competition -- U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-10), launched his annual “Holiday Cards for Heroes” program for the 2020 holiday season. He also announced the opening of his annual competition to design his office’s holiday card.

For the “Holiday Cards for Heroes” program, Tenth District constituents are invited to drop off holiday cards in unsealed envelopes for military service members at Congressman Schneider’s District Office in Lincolnshire through Monday, Dec. 14.

Last year Schneider’s office collected and distributed more than 400 cards with help from the United Service Organizations (USO).

Although the district office remains closed for walk-in service because of the pandemic, a drop box will be set up outside Congressman Schneider’s District Office at 111 Barclay Blvd., Suite 200, in Lincolnshire.

For the Fifth Annual Holiday Card Design Competition, elementary school students in the Tenth District are invited to submit artwork to be featured on the cover of Congressman Schneider’s office Holiday Card. This year’s theme is “Winter Wonderland,” a nod to the many outdoor activities friends and family can engage with safely during the coronavirus pandemic.

Students may submit their entries by email to Robert.Perez@mailhouse.gov.  All submissions are due by Wednesday, Nov. 25. The winner will be announced in early December.

For more information call (847) 383-4870.

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