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Two men were charged with forgery at a store on the 700 block of East Boughton Road in Bolingbrook , police said. Store employees told police Lachoun Milton, 20, of the 7500 block of South Eggleston Avenue in Chicago tried passing off counterfeit $100 bills in late January, Bolingbrook Police Lt.

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The act of making a fake document or altering a real one with the intent to commit fraud.

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ALBANY - A convicted felon who invaded the home of a 96-year-old woman in Albany faces up to 15 years in prison after being convicted of burglary Friday.

Israel Bishop, 26, was found guilty at his retrial by a jury, which began deciding his fate Thursday afternoon in Albany County Court. It was the first trial before newly elected Judge Peter Lynch.

Bishop was thwarted by his DNA, which was found on the fingertip of a green latex glove found outside the woman's home on Forest Avenue. The rest of the glove was found down the street.

The victim was sleeping during the break-in - and awoke during it. She was not injured in the break-in. She called her son who, in turn, contacted police.

In addition to the DNA match, a gold watch and pin, which had belonged to the victim's late husband, were later discovered in Bishop's home on Orange Street.

Bishop's first trial ended in a mistrial. His attorney, Gregory Teresi, had argued that his client was not at the scene and that it was committed by two of Bishop's associates. The jury, unmoved, convicted Bishop of second-degree burglary.

Bishop, who has a 2005 attempted robbery conviction, will be sentenced March 8.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Benjamin Mastaitis.

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ALBANY - A convicted felon who invaded the home of a 96-year-old woman in Albany faces up to 15 years in prison after being convicted of burglary Friday. Bishop was thwarted by his DNA, which was found on the fingertip of a green latex glove found outside the woman's home on Forest Avenue.

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Breaking and entering a building with the intention of committing a crime

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News about extortion and blackmail. Commentary and archival information about extortion and blackmail from The New York Times.

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Taking property illegally through threats of harm(blackmail)

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A masked man carrying a large piece of wood robbed a McDonald's restaurant in Derby.

Derbyshire police said the robbery took place at 1.50am on Tuesday at the Osmaston Park Road branch of McDonalds.

The man jumped onto the counter and demanded cash, taking some money from the till before leaving.

A police spokesman told the Derby Telegraph: "A member of the public called 999 to report that a robbery was taking place at the Osmaston Park Road branch of McDonald's."

The 24-hour fast-food restaurant was open as normal on Monday morning, but part of the counter was taped off with a sign reading "Police evidence, please do not touch".

The robber was white and wore a grey hooded tracksuit top and bottoms. He also wore a black sleeveless body warmer and a balaclava.
Anyone with information is urged to call 101, quoting crime reference number 13610-16.
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Masked man robs McDonalds with a large piece of wood

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A masked man carrying a large piece of wood robbed a McDonald's restaurant in Derby. Derbyshire police said the robbery took place at 1.50am on Tuesday at the Osmaston Park Road branch of McDonalds. The man jumped onto the counter and demanded cash, taking some money from the till before leaving.

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The unlawful taking of property from a person's immediate possession by force or intimidation.

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NEWTOWN -- A 51-year-old Newtown woman pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to embezzling more than $1.5 million from her employer.

Joanne Osmolik, the former vice president of human resources for Latex International in Shelton, admitted using corporate money to pay personal expenses and to submitting bogus expense reports to cover up the theft, according to a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Osmolik waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a single count of wire fraud before Judge Stefan Underhill in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport.

The embezzlement, which also allegedly involved another member of the company's senior management, occurred between October 2008 and November 2010.

Company president Dave Fisher said that after the theft was discovered, the company conducted a "comprehensive investigation "and turned the evidence over to federal authorities.

"Osmolik's guilty plea today demonstrates that she betrayed her obligations to the company, its employees and stakeholders," Fisher said in a statement issued by Latex International.

As part of the scheme, Osmolik charged more than $1 million in personal expenses on the corporate American Express card issued to her, the government said. She also billed the company for and collected another $531,000 for fraudulent expenses, according to authorities.

She spent the money on motorcycles, snowmobiles, jewelry and home furnishing, among other things, the government said.

Osmolik faces a term of up to 20 years in prison and a fine when she is sentenced March 9.

As part of the plea deal, she agreed to forfeit her interest in three homes in Vermont, six motorcycles, four snowmobiles, vehicle trailers, jewelry, appliances and furniture, the government said.

Latex International, which was founded in 1975, is the world's largest manufacturer of latex pillows and mattresses, according to the company.

Contact John Pirro at jpirro@newstimes.com or 203-731-3342.

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Woman guilty in $1.5 million embezzlement

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NEWTOWN -- A 51-year-old Newtown woman pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to embezzling more than $1.5 million from her employer. Joanne Osmolik, the former vice president of human resources for Latex International in Shelton, admitted using corporate money to pay personal expenses and to submitting bogus expense reports to cover up the theft, according to a spokesman for the U.S.

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The taking of money or property by a person to whom it has been entrusted: for example, a bank teller or an accountant.

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The unlawful taking of another's property with the intent to steal it. Grand larceny, a felony, is the theft of anything above a certain value ($100 or more). Petty larceny, a misdemeanor, is the theft of anything below a certain value.

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Arlington Heights police are investigating a vandalism report that was filed after a recent pick-up basketball game inside a gym at Recreation Park.

Police said the men's bathroom outside the main gym at the park, 500 E. Miner St., was damaged during the evening of March 26 with graffiti symbols, which were carved into the wood door to the bathroom and the gym floor nearby, said Sgt. Andrew Blevins.

"It sounds like there was a large group of teenagers at the open gym that night who looked to be around 14 to 15 years old and who kept coming in and out of the gymnasium," Blevins said.

The cost to repair the damage is unknown, he said.

The vandalism inside the...

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Arlington Heights police are investigating a vandalism report that was filed after a recent pick-up basketball game inside a gym at Recreation Park. Police said the men's bathroom outside the main gym at the park, 500 E.

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The deliberate destruction or defacement of another person's property; also known as malicious mischief

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Authorities arrested a German man Monday in connection with dozens of suspected arson attacks that destroyed parked cars, scorched buildings and rattled much of the nation's second-largest city over the New Year's weekend.

Harry Burkhart, 24, was booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling and was being held without bail, authorities said. He is a German national, but authorities said they didn't know how long he's been in the United States. Police said he told arresting officers he's from Frankfurt.

Burkhart was arrested earlier in the day because he resembled a "person of interest" captured on surveillance video. He was stopped by a reserve sheriff's deputy in a van being sought by arson investigators, who did not rule out the possibility that others may be involved.

More than 50 blazes have flared since Friday in Hollywood, neighboring West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley, causing about $3 million in damage. Firefighters have not responded to any other suspicious fires since Burkhart was detained.

Police declined to reveal any motive for the fires. When asked at a news conference about reports that an immigration problem with Burkhart's mother may have been a factor, authorities declined to comment.

"We are very confident in this arrest, but we have a long way to go," said Police Chief Charlie Beck, who mentioned receiving information from federal authorities who recognized Burkhart from the video. They believed he had been involved in removal hearings in immigration court, but they didn't specify how he was involved.

Galina Illarionova, who lives in the same apartment complex as the suspect, told reporters through a Russian translator that an agitated Burkhart visited her Sunday and said his mother was having some kind of legal trouble. He told her his mother was in trouble with authorities and wanted Illarionova to attend a legal hearing with him, but he later said he didn't need her help.

The blazes forced many apartment dwellers from their homes. But there were no serious injuries -- one firefighter was hurt in a fall from a ladder, and another person suffered smoke inhalation.

Most of the fires began in cars, and authorities have not said how they were started.

One of Saturday's fires occurred at the Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist destination bordered by the Walk of Fame in a neighborhood that includes Grauman's Chinese Theatre.

Damaged buildings included a former home of Doors singer Jim Morrison in Laurel Canyon.

The onslaught of intentionally set fires left residents on edge over the holiday weekend in some of the most densely populated areas of the city. Hundreds of investigators, police officers and firefighters raced to deal with the blazes. Police conducted extra patrols all weekend, and the noise of helicopters and sirens persisted virtually nonstop in Hollywood.

Even long-time firefighters struggled to recall an arson outbreak involving so many fires. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Division Chief James Lopez recalled a notorious case from a generation ago, when California arson investigator John Orr was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 1984 killings of four people in one of multiple arsons he set over the course of years.

"Sometimes it's pathological in nature," Lopez said. "I think motives are going to be hard to come by. We may never know."

Investigators were still busy Monday mapping out the sequence of the blazes, examining more than 100 clues and interviewing witnesses.

The fires left behind a trail of smoldering debris. Police urged residents to check their cars for any signs of tampering and to take simple precautions such as locking vehicles, keeping garage and carport lights on at night and reporting suspicious activity.

Despite the arrest, authorities continued to urge vigilance.

"We're not resting, and we're not stopping" the extra patrols, police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said. "If you have lights in your carport area, keep them on tonight."

Some other deliberately set fires were reported Thursday in Hollywood, and two people were arrested. But police said Monday that those suspects were not connected with the 52 other blazes.

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24-Year-Old Arrested in Los Angeles Arson Spree

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Authorities arrested a German man Monday in connection with dozens of suspected arson attacks that destroyed parked cars, scorched buildings and rattled much of the nation's second-largest city over the New Year's weekend. Harry Burkhart, 24, was booked for investigation of arson of an inhabited dwelling and was being held without bail, authorities said.

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the deliberate and malicious burning of another persons property.