Man denies $46,000 theft

A Mount Prospect man accused of stealing $46,000 from a woman’s checking account pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lake County Circuit Court.

Lukasz Wierzba, 31, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of identity theft, but would also be eligible for probation.

Assistant State’s Attorney Tim Niehus said Wierzba, of the 2500 block of West Parliament Place, obtained the checking account number of a 46-year-old Lincolnshire woman.

On Aug. 30, the bank notified the woman her checking account was overdrawn because checks of $20,000 and $26,000 had recently been charged against it.

Niehus said Wierzba used the $20,000 check to open a checking account at the Glendale Heights branch of another bank using a false name and a fake passport.

On Sept. 7, Niehus said, Wierzba is shown on bank security video withdrawing $17,800 from the account he had set up using the false name.

Niehus said a man police could not identify deposited the $26,000 check in Wierzba’s account on Sept. 14, and there was no other activity on the account before Wierzba’s arrest on Dec. 21.

Wierzba, who is free on $5,000 bond, is scheduled to appear in court March 17.