Moline burglars strike in the dark

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By Dustin Lemmon | Wednesday, July 23, 2008 12:29 AM CDT | () comments

With the power out early Tuesday, two teens thought they could take advantage by breaking into the Gasland Convenient Store at 1305 15th St. in Moline.

Officer Chase Schwigen was patrolling in the area and saw the teens and a third suspect crawling out of a broken front window around 1 a.m. The two boys, 15 and 16, were arrested after a foot chase. Police were looking for the third male suspect.

The incident was of a few burglaries that occurred while the power was out.

Moline police also are investigating a burglary at Travelers Mart, 3759 41st St. Glass on the front door was broken and cigarettes, liquor and cash were stolen while the business was without power.

Rock Island police are investigating burglaries at stores in the 2700 and 1600 blocks of 11th Street. Local police said they were also kept busy responding to various calls and providing additional patrols.

“We’re dealing with a multitude of issues,” Rock Island police Capt. Scott Harris said. “We had a lot of accidents last night.”

Harris said more accidents occurred after it got dark and drivers didn’t realize they needed to stop at various intersections.

“People don’t see the light out,” he said. “People are not sure when to go, and they get impatient.”

Illinois State Police trooper Jason Wilson said some motorists are disregarding traffic lights without power by not stopping at intersections.

“We’ve had a number of complaints of people not reverting back to the four-way stops when the power is out,” he said.

Sgt. Mitch Lee of the Rock Island County Sheriff’s Department is asking motorists to watch out for partial obstructions from downed brush on local roads. Some accidents have occurred in which motorists were looking at storm damage and drove through a traffic light with no signal, he said.

Wilson is encouraging motorists to watch out for leaning power poles as well.

“If you do see a power pole leaning, make sure you’re not in its path in case it does give way,” he said.

Residents in powerless neighborhoods are being asked to look out for suspicious activities.

Scott Williams, coordinator of Quad-City Crime Stoppers, said neighborhood watch organizations are helpful during power outages and urged those who don’t have one to consider calling their local police or city hall to get assistance with organizing a watch group.

“It’s times like this that a lot of neighborhoods see the advantages of a neighborhood watch,” he said. “It just makes it easier to watch out for each other.”

Dustin Lemmon can be contacted at (563) 383-2493 or dlemmon@qctimes.com.