One Aurora teen didn't learn the lesson from last year's teen cop impersonator here in Chicago. It seems this teen was driving a minivan with a flashing blue light and tried to get another driver to pull over. Instead of pulling over, that driver called the actual police. When police caught up with this teen cop impersonator, a search of his vehicle turned up over $1,000 in stolen goods, including electronics. Another teen who was riding as a passenger was also charged. [CBS 2] more ›

• Chicago 2016 CEO Patrick Ryan, speaking at today's press conference in Copenhagen, cited a new Zogby poll that claims 72 percent of Chicagoans support the Olympic bid.
• The Teen Cop Impersonator is back in the news as a judge has ordered him to three months in juvenile detention for violating the rules of his home confinement.
• The FBI is asking for the public's help in tracking down a Cicero man wanted in connection with a 1996 murder.

The Saga of the Teen Cop Impersonator has finally come to a conclusion. We think. The 15-year-old teen that impersonated a police officer earlier this year has been sentenced to three years probation. The teen, who was 14 when he was arrested for the impersonation, appeared in juvenile court today where Juvenile Court Judge Andrew Berman handed down the sentence and offered this stern warning: "One of the things that you have done, and have been very candid about, is you like to manipulate other people and situations. That's going to stop right now. You are not going to manipulate me. If you mess up with this probation ... to say nothing of if you get arrested, that's it. Next stop is the Department of Corrections." more ›

• The Tribune brings us the story of "April's Mom," a blogging hoax from the suburbs.
• Today a judge ordered psychological testing for the 14 year old boy who impersonated a cop and, a few months later, stole a car.
• The Sun-Times has the story of a nine-year old boy who was set on fire in what's been described by police as "a prank gone wrong."

Yesterday, I lamented the further fall of the teen cop impersonator in the wake of his latest arrest for stealing a car. At the time, however, the details weren't known. But now, more information has come out and we may be dealing with a con man the likes of which we haven't seen since Lyle Lanley. The teen stole a Lexus car from a dealership by dressing up in a suit and convincing the salesman he was in the market for a car. The car had a dead battery which was recharged by the salesman. The salesman than returned the charger to its proper place, but when he got back to where the car had been, it and the teen were gone. more ›

Well, crap. Remember the teen who made headlines and caused headaches for impersonating a Chicago Police officer a few months back? At the time, it seemed almost funny (if a little scary) and we were intrigued by a kid who, as relatives attested, just really wanted to be a police officer. Right on this very website, I said: more ›

Days after the final report on The Vincent Richardson Affair was turned in, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis finally addressed the media. In all, seven officers are charged with rule violations as a result of 14-year-old Richardson successfully fooling everyone and masquerading as a cop for a few hours. The punishment for the seven could range from a verbal warning all the way up to a firing, but that won't be determined until after another investigation is completed. Said Weis, "That an individual was able to impersonate a police officer for an extended period of time is both angering and a deep cause for concern. This is an issue of safety, both for the officers as well as the public." more ›

Vincent Richardson, the 14-year-old who got into a world of trouble and exposed some gaping security holes in the Chicago Police Department when he imitated an officer, has been released from juvenile detention. Juvenile Court Judge Andrew Berman ruled Richardson could be released but he'll be put on home monitoring. Berman said, "You're an intelligent person...If you violate, you paint me in a corner where I have to take you into custody." Richardson had been in custody for a month and has another court date on March 27. more ›