Thief Seen Taking St. Charles Storm Sewer Grate

St. Charles police were called a week ago to investigate the theft of two storm sewer grates, one of which occurred in just across the street from a witness who told officers he was shocked at what he had seen.

A witness called police Wednesday morning, Nov. 13, 2013, after watching someone in an older blue, extended-cab pickup stop on the south side of Ohio Avenue, across from his business, and bend over the storm grate. The witness told police that at first he thought the man was looking for something or clearing leaves from the grate.

But the witness told police he was shocked to see the individual, wearing a blue and gray flannel-type jacket and stocking cap, pick up the 17- by 22-inch storm grate and throw it into the back of the truck before driving off.

Police checked the area and discovered there were two storm grates missing at 3820 Ohio Avenue, and at Ohio and 37th avenues. The grates were valued at $167 each.

The description of the truck resembles that of one sought by West Chicago police over the summer. In its St. Charles Patch blog, the city of West Chicago said that a black, late 1990s to early 2000s Ford F-150 pickup with an extended cab and a distinctive 12- to 18-inch blue stripe along the lower trim has been seen in the vicinity during the time of those thefts.