Palos Heights man charged in connection with $250K of items linked to freight train thefts: police

PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. (WLS) -- Suburban police caught a man with piles of stolen merchandise.

It started with a report of items from a freight train, being sold online.

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Sitka, a high-end hunting apparel company, said about 100 pairs of hunting boots, valued at $40,000 had been stolen in Chicago.

The company said it found Facebook Marketplace and eBay listings for the products.

Investigators tracked the seller to Palos Heights, where they found boxes of shoes and appliances.

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Police say the suspect, Almahdi Qasem, 20, of Palos Heights turned himself in on Friday.

He has been charged with theft of over $100,000 but less than $500,000. Additional charges are expected, Palos Heights police said.

Detectives said they found an estimated $250,000 worth of stolen property connected to multiple freight theft incidents.

Qasem has been released from custody, pending his appearance at the Bridgeview Courthouse.