An Aurora man is facing multiple counts of felony burglary for allegedly using a ruse to scam several Aurora business employees into handing him cash from their registers.
Aurora police have issued a warrant for the arrest of John Loresch, 47, 1300 block of Monomoy Street, for allegedly pulling the ruse at several businesses in July.
During the incidents, Loresch allegedly entered a variety of stores throughout the city and attempted to trick employees into giving him money, supposedly with the permission of the individual business owners.
Aurora Police Department spokesman Dan Ferrelli said Loresch would act in distress and advise employees that the business owner had given him permission to take cash from the register to help him with a number of issues he was facing.
Charging documents indicate that the incidents began on July 26 when Loresch entered a fast food restaurant in the 1200 block of North Lake Street in Aurora around 8:10 p.m. Once inside, Loresch allegedly told an employee that his wife had just been in an accident and that the restaurant’s owner had given Loresch permission to take money from the business to help with the situation. During the encounter, Loresch made a fake telephone call to the owner and allegedly pressured the employee to hand over $160 before the employee could confirm the story’s authenticity with his boss.
Ferrelli said Loresch then allegedly tried the same scam at a hotel in the 2400 block of Sullivan Road at about 1 a.m. on July 27. He allegedly approached a clerk at the business in a panicked state and told the employee that the manager’s best friend had been in an accident.
Ferrelli said Loresch then supposedly made a phony call to the hotel manager and said he had been given permission to take $175 to help with the situation.
The employee insisted on talking with the manager before handing over the cash and Loresch left the business with nothing, Ferrelli said.
About 15 minutes after he left the hotel, Loresch allegedly went to a gas station in the 2200 block of West Galena Boulevard where he told a clerk he was involved in an accident down the road. He advised that he knew the gas station’s owner, and that the owner said he could borrow $100 for his car to be towed. Loresch ended up leaving the gas station after the clerk refused to believe the story, Ferrelli said.
Around 5:40 p.m., July 27, Loresch allegedly tried the bit again at a restaurant in the 2900 block of Kirk Road. Loresch allegedly entered the store acting upset and agitated. Before he asked to use the phone, Loresch told an employee that his wife was sick and that he was having vehicle problems.
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Ferrelli said Loresch appeared to make a phone call and began writing down information. When he hung up, he told the employee that he was talking with the owner of the business, that they were friends, and that the owner gave permission to give him $185 out of the register.
Ferrelli said that plan was foiled after Loresch allegedly learned that the clerk was a family member of the store owners. She would not give up any money until she verified the conversation and Loresch ended up leaving the business empty-handed, police said.
About 20 minutes later, Loresch allegedly entered a gas station in the 1300 block of Butterfield Road and tried the ruse again. He told a clerk he was friends with the store’s owner, and that the owner’s sister had been in a car accident, police said. Loresch told the clerk he had been sent to the gas station by the owner to get $230 for a tow and taxi ride. The clerk handed over the money and Loresch left the business.
Following the string of reports, Aurora police made a public appeal for information on the cases and included a surveillance photo.
Ferrelli said several Chicago area law enforcement agencies contacted Aurora detectives with information. The appeal also led employees from another restaurant in the 2900 block of Kirk Road to contact investigators saying that Loresch allegedly tried his con there, but was unsuccessful. Store employees did not call police to report the suspicious circumstances.
Loresch is currently in custody in Cook County, police said.