Decoy officers bust man accused of pretending to be police officer, groping teenage girls in Park Ridge
PARK RIDGE, Ill. (CBS) -- A man already suspected of falsely telling teenage girls he was a police officer, and then groping, was caught with the help of two decoy officers this week in Park Ridge.
James Tripi, 38, of Streamwood, is now charged with two counts each of false impersonation of a police officer, unlawful restraint, and aggravated battery, police said.
Park Ridge police said on Wednesday, June 14, two teenage girls were walking at Touhy and Seminary avenues in Park Ridge when a man came up and started to question them about why they were out past curfew, police said.
The man grabbed one of the girls' buttocks and offered to walk them home, police said.
The second incident included Thursday night into Friday morning last week around 12:15 a.m., police said. Two teenage girls were walking near Courtland and Albion avenues when the same man came up and said he was a police officer, police said.
The man again asked the girls if they knew they were out past curfew, and again grabbed one of their buttocks.
This week, Park Ridge police deployed two women officers and had them dress up as teenage girls. They walked in the same areas where the first incidents had happened, police said.
Around midnight this past Thursday morning, the two female decoy officers were walking in the 300 block of South Lincoln Avenue in Park Ridge when the same man came up. He was wearing a surgical mask and had a badge and chain around his neck, police said.
The man told the undercover officers impersonating teenage girls that he was a police officer – and claimed he was conducting curfew checks. He told the decoy officers he needed to pat them down, and then grabbed one of their chests, police said.
The women told the suspect they were the ones who were really police officers, prompting him to run away, police said. A short foot chase followed, after which the man, Tripi, was arrested by assisting surveillance officers, police said.
Tripi was being held for a bond hearing late Friday.