Cop accused of stealing $20,000 from elderly man

A suburban police officer is charged with stealing $20,000 from an elderly man who suffers from advanced dementia.

The Cook County sheriff’s office said Friday that Elmwood Park police officer John Wasilenko was charged with exploiting a senior and official misconduct after forging a check for $20,000.

Authorities say the officer befriended the 84-year-old man after responding to a report of burglaries at the man’s home in 2012.

They say the man’s bank was monitoring his account after the burglaries and questioned a check made out to Wasilenko that the officer deposited into his own account in December 2012.

Sheriff’s officials say the man called Brookfield police claiming he did not write the check.

Wasilenko told bank employees that the money was a gift, authorities said.