Crime & Safety

Residents Report Rash of Criminal Property Damage Incidents

Hinsdale Deputy Chief Mark Wodka said "mischievous conduct" offenses typically increase when the end of the school year arrives.

Six incidents of criminal damage to property were reported to the between May 31 and June 3, according to the department’s weekly crime report, and three are considered to be related.

Two residents from the 200 block of Meadowbrook Lane and one from the street’s 500 block reported property damage June 1.

One of the 200 block residents said four mailboxes on the block were damaged around 12:59 a.m. June 1. That resident reported seeing two unknown males in the street at the time arguing, one of whom appeared to be intoxicated, Deputy Chief Mark Wodka said.

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The other 200 block resident reported that light fixtures on his garage were damaged between 2 p.m. May 31 and 7:45 a.m. June 1. The 500 block resident said his mailbox post was damaged between 12:01 a.m. and 5 a.m. June 1.

Wodka said those three incidents are believed to be related. The two males were gone by the time police arrived.

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“There’s no indication that this appears to be targeted criminal damage,” Wodka said, labeling it “mischievous conduct.”

The deputy chief said it appeared the mailboxes had been damaged with a bat-like object in a game of "mailbox baseball."

“What starts out as a game can result in criminal charges if the subjects are found,” Wodka said, noting that damaging mailboxes is a misdemeanor offense.

Three other criminal damage incidents occurred not long after that are each considered isolated, Wodka said.

Unknown persons spray-painted graffiti onto the football field press box at Hinsdale Central between 11 p.m. May 31 and 7 a.m. June 1, damaged a water fountain at the Burns Field paddle tennis courts at 12:01 a.m. June 2, and stuck lit fireworks in a mailbox in the 400 block of South Jackson Street at 2:29 a.m. June 3.

Wodka said when the school year wraps up and the weather gets warm, mischievous-conduct incidents such as these typically increase.

“This is the type of crime we see occur during these time periods,” Wodka said.


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