Kane deputy cracks case. At Walmart

Kane County Sheriff's Deputy Ron Hain went to Walmart to buy a dishwasher for his mom and ended up with a burglary suspect.

It must have been a Zen moment.

Police say Hain was in the parking lot of the Montgomery Walmart around 9 p.m. Aug. 4 when he noticed a two-tone Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that he had seen on security footage from a burglary earlier that day. As the driver started to load equipment from the truck into a second vehicle, Hain called Montgomery police, who arrested 30-year-old Joshua Grote of St. Charles.

Police said the quick arrest led to the recovery of a lime green Kawasaki motorcycle swiped from a Sycamore sporting goods store Aug. 1, and several tools and dirt bikes stolen from Bob Jo Cycle near Maple Park just three days later. Grote, a five-time convicted burglar who was out on parole, has been charged with theft and burglary, according to court records.

Kane County Sheriff's Lt. Pat Gengler said Hain was off duty and out shopping for a dishwasher for his mother when he spotted Grote.

Hain declined to be interviewed, but Gengler said he was able to buy the dishwasher the next day.

Will Richards show?: Tonight is the first St. Charles city council meeting since the news came out about Alderman David Richards' arrest last month in West Chicago.

Richards, who is accused of exposing himself while driving on Route 64, has said he isn't sure if he will remain in office as a 5th Ward alderman while his case is pending. But he didn't attend a city committee meeting last week, nor a full council meeting the week before.

Although DuPage County prosecutors are reviewing the case for potentially additional charges, according to police, Richards faces only a fine of up to $1,000 and intense public ridicule if he is convicted as currently charged. He has denied intentionally exposing himself.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at city hall, 2 E. Main St.

Drive safely: Extra St. Charles police officers will be out looking for intoxicated drivers during a two-week traffic safety campaign starting Friday.

This is the sixth year St. Charles police have joined the Illinois Department of Transportation's "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" campaign, which is funding the special patrol.

In addition to drunken drivers or drivers under the influence, officers will be looking for speeding and seat belt violations.

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