Incidents of road salt theft on the rise

The reports of salt thefts from stockpiles at area businesses continued to pile up Wednesday.

Both Schaumburg and Buffalo Grove police have reported road salt thefts from area businesses.

The Buffalo Grove theft is the third in town in the last five days.

Authorities said their most recent theft occurred at about 7 a.m. Tuesday when someone in a silver pickup truck took about $500 in salt from a stockpile behind a grocery store at Buffalo Grove and Dundee roads. The salt was being stored by Arctic Snow and Ice Removal.

Police said a video of the theft was recorded and an investigation is pending.

"I have a feeling that whoever took it would know that's where that contractor keeps the supply," Buffalo Grove police Cmdr. Steve Husak said.

He said he doesn't remember any similar incidents occurring before in town.

Also Tuesday, Schaumburg police said a 1-ton pile of salt was stolen between 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. from behind a strip mall on the 900 block of East Golf Road.

Schaumburg police Sgt. John Nebl said this is the first theft of this sort this year.

Saturday, Steven James Wieder, 50, of Fox Lake was arrested and charged with theft after Buffalo Grove police said he stole 100 pounds of salt stored behind a shopping plaza at 100 N. Buffalo Grove Road.

Wieder has a March 28 court date in Mundelein.

Buffalo Grove police also reported a similar incident around 7:35 a.m. Friday at a shopping center at 770 Buffalo Grove Road.

Police said someone from a snow removal company reported that a driver in a red pickup truck took a load of salt from that location.

Anyone with information on the latest thefts is encouraged to call Schaumburg police at (847) 882-3534 or Buffalo Grove police at (847) 459-2560.