NEWS RELEASE

RIVERSIDE POLICE DEPARTMENT 31 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546

23 April 2014
Contact:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Tom Weitzel
tweitzel@riverside.il.us

708.447.2127

Follow RPD on Twitter @riverside

Riverside Police Make Felony Theft Arrest from Incident at High School during Soft Lockdown
Police arrest 18-year-old female for theft and felony misuse of credit card
On Friday, February 21, 2014 at 6:20 p.m., the Riverside Police Department received a walk-in complaint in the police lobby of a theft of a Coach purse and the belongings inside that had taken place at Riverside-Brookfield High School earlier in the day. The victim, a female student at the high school, stated that her pink Coach wallet and purse were stolen during seventh period during the soft lockdown procedures that the school was in due to another incident the police were handling. The victim stated that the backpack was at the back of the classroom as the teacher had ordered students to lay low and kept the lights dark during the soft lockdown. This past incident was one where the alleged offender was going to come to the high school to "shoot up" individuals. Riverside Police made an arrest in that case. During our investigation, it was quickly learned that the credit card of the victim was used at the BP Gas Station at 26th and Des Plaines in North Riverside at 4:36 p.m. that same day. Police were able to obtain video surveillance of the incident and initially got a description of the car but were unable to focus in on the license plate. During an exhaustive intense investigation over the last two months, police were able to develop leads of the individuals depicted in that video who were known to police from prior incidents. On Monday, April 21, 2014 at 2:30 p.m., the Riverside Police picked up the adult female offender from the front of RiversideBrookfield High School. She was brought into the police department and interviewed. In the course of the interview, it was learned that the female had stolen the Coach purse and committed the theft and unlawful use of a credit card at the gas station in North Riverside. Riverside Police charged Renee Lynn Zubko, 18 of Riverside of one count of misdemeanor theft and one count of felony unlawful use of a credit card. Ms. Zubko was held in custody and taken to a bond court on Tuesday morning.

Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel stated, It is a sad incident that a student would steal from another student during the soft lockdown when police were attempting to take a suspect into custody that may have potentially harmed students. The fact that a student would commit a theft during this tense s ituation is disturbing.