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4 Crestwood Adviser October 2020 Number 523
Officer Biskup Graduates
From Police Academy
Crestwood Police Officer Ewa Biskup has graduated from the North East Multi-
Regional Training Police Academy.
The 560-hour curriculum covered all aspects of law enforcement. Officer Biskup
started at the Academy in September 2019, completing her studies and training in
August 2020. The training is done online, with officers attending class on Saturdays
and Sundays. The program normally takes 9 months to complete, but because of
COVID issues, this class’s training at the Academy took a full year. Officer Biskup’s
class was unable to have a graduation, so she was recognized by Mayor Presta and
the Village Board at a recent meeting. Her parents and brother attended. Officer
Biskup is now a certified Law Enforcement Officer by the Illinois Law Enforcement
Training and Standards Board. She now begins her Field Training program.
Officer Ewa Biskup, pictured with Mayor Lou Presta and Police Chief David
Weigand, recently graduated from the NEMRT Police Academy.
We Watch, We Call!
Mayor Presta and the Board of Trustees have heard the requests of many to report crimes in our Village.
Working with our Police Department, a compiled snapshot of a month’s reporting will be shown here in the
Adviser. Our intent is to inform the public in order to protect and be vigilant in calling upon our Police. The
Mayoar urges all to stay tuned in to your neighbors’ well-being and property. Call our police, report suspicious
activity, be aware. (911 or Dispatch non-Emergency 708-385-5131).
Deceptive Practice
08-03-2020: A resident reported that he received
a debit card in the mail from First Key Bank for
unemployment benefits that he did not apply for.
08-08-2020: A woman reported that she listed
some items for sale on a buy/sell website for
$500. The victim was contacted from a buyer in
California who agreed to send a cashier’s check for
the purchase. When the victim received the check,
it was made out in the amount of $2,440.00. She
contacted the seller, who requested that she send
the overpayment back to his Zelle account, which
the victim agreed. After sending the overpayment,
it was later learned that the check was fraudulent.
08-11-2020: A resident reported that he received a
letter from the Illinois Department of Employment
Security in reference to unemployment benefits
that she did not apply for.
08-15-2020: A resident reported that she
received a debit card in the mail from US Bank for
unemployment benefits that she did not apply for.
UNEMPLOYMENT DEBIT CARD SCAM
INFORMATION
A new scam is being reported in the area. Multiple
reports from area residents who have received a
debit card for unemployment claims they did not
file. Most of these reports involve a debit card
issued to the victim from KeyBank via the Illinois
Department of Employment Security (IDES).
According to IDES, unemployment systems across
the country are seeing an increase in fraud of
unemployment insurance programs during the
COVID-19 pandemic. IDES is also working with
local and federal law enforcement authorities to
investigate, pursue, and prosecute those who are
defrauding the unemployment insurance system.
According to IDES, an individual who has not filed
an unemployment claim but has received a debit
card or an unemployment insurance (UI) finding
letter in the mail has most likely been the target
of fraud. An individual’s personal identifying
information being used by fraudsters to file an
unemployment claim is likely due to a prior cyber
hack or data breach, such as the Equifax breach.
It is imperative that individuals take the following
steps if they have not filed an unemployment claim
and have erroneously received an unemployment
debit card or UI finding letter in the mail:
1. Immediately call IDES at 800.814.0513 and
when prompted: * Select the English or Spanish
language option * Selection option 1 for
claimants * Selection option 5 to report identity
theft
2. Do not activate the debit card that was mailed
to you
3. File a police report with your local Police
Department
4. File an online complaint with the Federal Trade
Commission at Identitytheft.gov
If you suspect you have been a victim of this scam,
please contact your local Police Department to file
a report.
Thefts
08-09-2020: A resident reported that his Echo grass
trimmer was stolen from his garage in the 5500
block of Linder Court.
08-11-2020: A vehicle was stolen from the driveway
in the 4900 block of 135th Street. The vehicle
was later used at the Chase Bank as the offenders
attempted to gain entry to the ATM.
08-11-2020: A woman reported that while
shopping at Aldi, she left her purse unattended in
the shopping cart and unknown offenders took her
wallet.
08-19-2020: Unknown offenders stole a Budget
Rental two-wheeled dolly from the parking lot of
Bill’s Service Center.
Crestwood Commander Graduates
From Northwestern’s School of
Police Staff and Command
The Crestwood Police Department is pleased to announce the recent graduation
of Commander Richard Wyman from the School of Police Staff and Command
(SPSC) at Northwestern University. Commander Wyman successfully completed
the 22-week Staff and Command program held in Evanston, Ill., from January
to June this year. This program, implemented by the Center for Public Safety
in 1983, has graduated more than 25,000 students both nationally and
internationally. Commander Wyman was a student in SPSC Class No. 475, which
accommodated a total of 24 students for the 22-week period.
The Crestwood Police Department anticipates a variety of benefits from
Commander Richard Wyman’s attendance at this program. Many of the
program’s graduates go on to achieve a variety of leadership positions within
their respective agencies.
Congratulations, Commander Wyman!
Commander Richard Wyman recently graduated from Northwestern University’s School
of Police Staff and Command.