Employee accused of stealing down payments at Palatine Chevy dealer

Police have charged a finance manager at a Palatine car dealership with felony theft after they said he pocketed $38,000 in customer down payments between May and July.

Walter J. Fronek, 36, of the 1800 block of Woodview Court in Darien, was issued a $40,000 bond in Cook County circuit court Wednesday. He must pay 10 percent, or $4,000, to be released from custody.

Palatine Police Commander Kurt Schroeder said Grossinger Chevrolet at 151 E. Lake-Cook Road contacted the police department with a complaint against Fronek. He was arrested on Tuesday, prosecutors said.

According to that complaint, Fronek had received down payments from nine customers but did not provide them with receipts or pass their money along to the dealership.

Nevertheless, the customers did receive their vehicles from the dealership in exchange for the payments they thought they'd made, Schroeder said.

As such, the dealership itself is considered the victim of Fronek's alleged theft, Schroeder added.

Fronek's next court date is Sept. 23.

Managers at Grossinger Chevrolet declined to comment Wednesday.