A Palatine man is charged with burglarizing a Park Ridge vape shop, then sticking around town for hours with the loot – and methamphetamine – before being arrested by local police.
John Schmidt, 38, of the 1400 block of Smith Street in Palatine, is charged with felony burglary, criminal damage to property and possession of methamphetamine, according to a Park Ridge police news release.
According to the release, just after midnight on July 22, officers responded to the Prestige Tobacco and Vape Shop located at 149 N. Northwest Highway on a report of someone breaking into the store.
“Upon arrival officers found the glass on the front entrance door of the store to be shattered. Officers conducted a search of the interior of the store and found that the offender had already fled from the scene prior to their arrival,” the release states.
The owner of the shop arrived on the scene and, police say, confirmed that multiple vape products had been stolen. The store owner pulled video surveillance footage that was captured which also provided several images of the offender.
Nearly four hours later, the release explains, a police officer was patrolling the area near Austin Avenue and Grace Street when he observed a male walking in the area. The person was later identified as Schmidt.
“The officer noticed [he] matched the images of the offender from the store surveillance video,” the release states.
Schmidt was stopped and found to be in possession of multiple items reportedly stolen from the vape store burglary. Police said he was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine.
Schmidt appeared in court July 23 at the Skokie courthouse where he was given conditions for pre-trial release.
He is scheduled to appear in court again Aug. 20.