The sheriff is crediting an alert resident in aiding in the arrest of a woman who was charged with stealing mail from her neighbors in Long Grove Wednesday afternoon.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday to the area of Schaeffer Road and Manassas Lane in Long Grove for a suspicious vehicle.
The caller reported the person in the vehicle was lingering around several mailboxes, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said.
Sheriff’s deputies responded and checked the area but the vehicle was gone when they arrived.
Another call was made hours later around 4:15 p.m. reporting the same suspicious vehicle and person, which were lingering around mailboxes.
The caller was concerned as she was aware of prior mail thefts in the area, Covelli said.
The second caller was able to obtain the license plate of the vehicle and relayed that information to dispatchers.
A sheriff’s deputy located the vehicle in the area of Bridgewater Lane and Gettysburg Road in Long Grove.
The sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and spoke to the driver, identified as Gabriella Pollari, 44, of the 1300 block of Bridgewater Lane in Long Grove.
While speaking to the driver, the sheriff’s deputy observed drug paraphernalia and drugs in Pollari’s vehicle, Covelli said.
Pollari was arrested and her vehicle was searched. The sheriff’s deputy located mail and packages in her vehicle.
The mail and packages belonged to numerous victims who live in the area.
Covelli said the mail contained “very sensitive information” such as social security numbers, tax documents, checks and more.
Pollari was arrested and charged with identity theft, unlawful possession of cocaine and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Additional charges are possible.
“The community plays a significant role in reporting crimes and suspicious activity. Thanks to this alert member of the community calling us to report what they saw, and our deputies working hard to locate the vehicle, we were able to arrest this person stealing other people’s mail. Great job to everyone involved,” Sheriff John Idleburg said.
The U.S. Postal Police were contacted and are also investigating, Covelli said.
Residents in the area who are missing mail should contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Pollari remains held in the Lake County Jail. Her bond amount was not immediately available.