Police help driver, then catch him with stolen plates

Most people trying to push a stalled car out of traffic would welcome a police squad car pulling up to help.

For Harold Kettle, however, the flashing lights behind him Oct. 13 in Gurnee meant his problems went way beyond transportation.

Kettle, 37, faces up to 10 years in prison after admitting Wednesday that the license plate on the vehicle he was pushing was stolen.

Kettle, of 17 N. St. James St., Waukegan, also pleaded guilty to burglarizing a Waukegan Laundromat while on bond for possessing the stolen plate.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney George Pappas said Kettle was driving a 1991 Buick on Northwestern Avenue in Gurnee when it broke down.

As Kettle and a passenger in his car were trying to push it out of the way of traffic, a Gurnee police officer pulled up and used the bumper bar on his squad car to muscle the Buick into a parking lot.

Complications arose when the officer used his on-board computer to check the license number of Kettle's car and discovered the plate belonged on a different vehicle.

A few tense questions later, Kettle admitted he bought the plate from someone on the street for $10 because he did not have registration for his car.

He posted bond on that charge, but on Nov. 15, he was caught inside the Blue Kangaroo Laundry at 2 S. Park St., Waukegan, at 2:40 a.m. with $300 stolen from the business.

Pappas said he agreed to reduce the charges against Kettle to attempted possession of a stolen license plate and attempted burglary in exchange for the guilty pleas.

Circuit Judge John Phillips scheduled sentencing for Feb. 7 and told Kettle if he is sentenced to prison for both crimes, the terms must be served consecutively.