Police: Man Disappears With Relative's Credit Card to Feed Gambling Addiction

Police: Man Disappears With Relative's Credit Card to Feed Gambling Addiction
Police accused a man of using his relative's credit card this week. He told her he was "going to the bathroom," according to the police report.

By Carrie Frillman

A local man was arrested Monday shortly after he reportedly told a relative he was "going to the bathroom" and instead stole her credit card and made his way to the nearest store, police said.

Scott P. Petritsch, 32, of the 17000 block of New England Ave., Tinley Park, told police he took the card—and $140 cash—to cover a gambling debt, according to the police report.

He first called his family member and asked if he could go to her house to watch a show he'd recorded on her television, police said.

"Two or three times during the show, Scott said he needed to use the bathroom and got up and left the room," the report said. "The final time he did this, at about 11:45 (a.m.), (the victim) noticed Scott had been gone for about five minutes and she had not heard the bathroom door close. She got up to see what he was doing and found that he had left the house."

The victim said she looked around for him and noticed that her purse in her bedroom was not as she left it. She looked inside and noticed that her bank card and the cash were missing. She immediately cancelled the card and was told someone had already used it at Walgreens in Tinley Park, where a $354.95 purchase had been made.

An employee at the Walgreens told the victim that Petritsch regularly comes in and buys gift cards that he says are used to play online poker, the report said. Petritsch told police he used the credit card on Monday to buy a gift card to give to a friend to pay off a gambling debt, according to the report.

"Scott said he gives money to this friend who gambles for him at a river boat and brings him the winnings, if any," the report said.

He was charged with one felony count of receiving the credit or debit card of another. His relative said he is not allowed to visit her anymore.