Crime & Safety
Christmas Charity Thief Arrested, Police Say
Police have arrested a man charged with stealing a charity donation jar from a store counter at Golf Mill just before Christmas.
Niles police have arrested James Pedro, 55, of North Leamington Avenue, Chicago, in a theft of charity money just before Christmas.
Police had earlier asked the public to identify the man, and they released a surveillance video of him at the Golf Mill Shopping Center store counter where a charity donation jar was swiped on Nov. 19.
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According to police, Pedro, a regular customer of the store, was identified as the one who placed the charity jar, containing about $200, under his jacket and left. Police said they contacted him and he surrendered.
Pedro was charged with one count of theft, a Class A misdemeanor. His court date is January 24 at the Cook County courthouse in Skokie.
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