West Cook News

Retired Riverside police chief Thomas Weitzel said that the catch and release style of policing that occurred with the arrest of illegal aliens caught stealing bikes in Western Springs is a result of the SAFE-T Act. 

“The officers statements in this story reflect the results of the SAFE-T-Act, how’s that working,” Weitzel said in a post on X.

West Cook News reported that Western Springs police caught a group of "at least 12" Venezuelan illegal aliens casing village streets on Sunday afternoon, stealing bicycles.

The illegal aliens stole a bike parked in front of a gym at the corner of Central Avenue and Hillgrove Avenue, then walked to the Western Springs Pool, 1300 Hillgrove Avenue, where they were checking children's bikes to see if they were locked.

Police confronted the group near Central and Hillgrove, sources say, and retrieved the stolen bike, which was returned to its owner.

None of the Venezuelans had identification and none of them spoke English. Western Springs police called La Grange police to assist with translation.

Sources present said police told them weren't going to bother arresting or charging the illegal aliens "because they have no way of verifying who they actually are, and they wouldn't show up for court, anyway."

Police put the illegal aliens, who were described as "well dressed," on a Metra train heading east, towards Chicago.

Western Springs Police told West Cook News that an incident report, including photos of the illegal aliens would be approved for public release in the next 2-3 days.

"12 illegal immigrants stealing bikes in Western Springs," Dan Proft, host of Chicago Morning Answer radio show, said in a post on X. "Police catch and release. Put them on the Metra heading downtown. Sanctuary State livin'. Dance of the lemons.Western Springs residents can thank the Jim-Durkin-led surrender Republicans."

Weitzel has been an advocate for community-based policing. He survived a shotgun blast to the chest while on the job in 1987 and retired in May 2021 after 13 years as Chief of Police of Riverside and 37 years in law enforcement altogether.

Weitzel has argued against the SAFE-T Act since 2022. 

"We told them this wasn't a good idea," Weitzel said in an interview with The Sun. "I think it was just a knee jerk reaction to what happened in Minneapolis, and the politicians want to say Illinois is the first state to end cash bail.”