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Irregular News for 06.22.06
Frankfort, IL -- Some may consider it a prank, but a suburban family isn't laughing. And neither are Will County Sheriff's Police.
CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports on how a simple crime involving a stolen yard decoration turned ugly with a ransom note laced with profanity.
Frankfort resident Jim Husa found the severed head of a lawn ornament on top of a ransom note outside his home. The body of the bird was still missing.
“I came out and I read this note, which was kind of upsetting,” Jim said. “It was upsetting because it was filled with profanity and anti-Semitic remarks.”
Will County Sheriff's Police say the note stated: "To whom it may concern, if you ever want to see your precious flamingo again please clean the (expletive) out of your yard."
Sheriff's police called the ransom note unusual.
"It's the first, I can tell you that," sheriff's officer Dave Siegel, who took the call, said, declining to comment further but saying it's an open investigation.
The note also demanded $25,000 and a bottle of Boone's Farm wine in exchange for the bird's wooden body. Will County Sheriff's deputies say it's a bizarre case that isn't one bit funny.
“This is somebody that is saying ‘Give me $25,000 in exchange for your property,’” said Will County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Pat Barry. “Technically, it's an extortion letter.”
Theft could also be one of the charges facing whoever wrote the letter because several other lawn ornaments and decorations were taken.
Some, like a dog and cut-out of a woman, were found across the street. But a wrought iron cat Mary Husa had for decades is still missing. It has sentimental value.
“It's something I've had for like twenty years,” she said. “I just want the black cat back. No questions asked.”
But sheriff's police are making no such promise. They vow to keep asking questions in the hopes of nabbing the writers of a letter they describe as hateful.
The Husa family is not Jewish and they don’t know why anyone would target them since other homes on the block are decorated with lawn ornaments.
A phone number written on the note rang to a 16-year-old Mokena girl's cell phone, but she was ruled out as a suspect, he said.
The Husas do not think any neighborhood children were behind the theft of the decorations.
And they still have some of their favorite lawn ornaments--another flamingo, an umbrella-shaped flowerpot holder as tall as a person and a plaster boy lying underneath their front-yard tree.
But the Husas are more wary these days.
"I left the lights on (Sunday) night," Mary said.
source
Frankfort, IL -- Some may consider it a prank, but a suburban family isn't laughing. And neither are Will County Sheriff's Police.
CBS 2 West Suburban Bureau Chief Mike Puccinelli reports on how a simple crime involving a stolen yard decoration turned ugly with a ransom note laced with profanity.
Frankfort resident Jim Husa found the severed head of a lawn ornament on top of a ransom note outside his home. The body of the bird was still missing.
“I came out and I read this note, which was kind of upsetting,” Jim said. “It was upsetting because it was filled with profanity and anti-Semitic remarks.”
Will County Sheriff's Police say the note stated: "To whom it may concern, if you ever want to see your precious flamingo again please clean the (expletive) out of your yard."
Sheriff's police called the ransom note unusual.
"It's the first, I can tell you that," sheriff's officer Dave Siegel, who took the call, said, declining to comment further but saying it's an open investigation.
The note also demanded $25,000 and a bottle of Boone's Farm wine in exchange for the bird's wooden body. Will County Sheriff's deputies say it's a bizarre case that isn't one bit funny.
“This is somebody that is saying ‘Give me $25,000 in exchange for your property,’” said Will County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Pat Barry. “Technically, it's an extortion letter.”
Theft could also be one of the charges facing whoever wrote the letter because several other lawn ornaments and decorations were taken.
Some, like a dog and cut-out of a woman, were found across the street. But a wrought iron cat Mary Husa had for decades is still missing. It has sentimental value.
“It's something I've had for like twenty years,” she said. “I just want the black cat back. No questions asked.”
But sheriff's police are making no such promise. They vow to keep asking questions in the hopes of nabbing the writers of a letter they describe as hateful.
The Husa family is not Jewish and they don’t know why anyone would target them since other homes on the block are decorated with lawn ornaments.
A phone number written on the note rang to a 16-year-old Mokena girl's cell phone, but she was ruled out as a suspect, he said.
The Husas do not think any neighborhood children were behind the theft of the decorations.
And they still have some of their favorite lawn ornaments--another flamingo, an umbrella-shaped flowerpot holder as tall as a person and a plaster boy lying underneath their front-yard tree.
But the Husas are more wary these days.
"I left the lights on (Sunday) night," Mary said.
source
