Villa Park store fined for selling stolen liquor

A Villa Park liquor store was slapped with a $15,000 fine and its liquor license suspended for 30 days this month, after one of its owners was arrested in April and charged with two counts of theft.

Purvish K. Patel, 27, of 600 Woodlawn St. in Hoffman Estates, was arrested when police suspected he was reselling stolen alcohol at Ardmore Station Liquors. Patel faces up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine if he is convicted.

The liquor control commission then held hearing that resulted in this month's fine and suspensions.

Villa Park police launched their initial investigation after the Lake Zurich Police Department received and shared a tip that employees were purchasing stolen liquor and reselling it at Ardmore Station Liquors, Villa Park Lt. Michael Lay said.

The investigation lasted about a week, Lay said, and officers discovered more than 50 bottles of alcohol at the Villa Park store, which they suspected were stolen from other businesses.