The Lake County State’s Attorney has laid down very specific procedures designed to make it easier for you to prosecute an offender who violated the Illinois law on Deceptive Practice (commonly referred to as “bad check cases”). It is the State’s Attorney’s office’s intention to work with the Vernon Hills Police Department and you to prosecute every case where we have the necessary information to proceed with criminal charges.

In order to prosecute someone for issuing a bad check to you under Illinois law, we need the following things:

1. The offender must have issued a check (for any amount) at a time when he/she received goods or services or issued a check for over $150.00 for payment of an amount owed on a credit transaction.
2. You will be required to submit the check to the issuer’s bank on two separate occasions, at least 7 days apart.
3. The person who accepted the check must be able to identify the offender. The VHPD may attempt to verify identification via a photograph during the investigation.
4. We ask that you do not accept post-dated checks, or agree to hold a check prior to presentation to the bank, or accept partial payment on a bad check you want prosecuted.

Please keep in mind: identification is the most difficult problem with these types of cases. Before a judge will issue a warrant of arrest, we must be able to prove that a known person is the offender (i.e., that the check wasn’t forged by someone other than the person named on the check).

We appreciate your help in making sure the above steps are followed. Next, download and complete the Bad Check Form prior to speaking with a police officer and making a report. This will maximize the investigating officer’s time when dealing with this very serious and often complex crime.

When this form is complete, you may either stop in the police department or have an officer respond to your location to make a report.

If you have any questions regarding this process, you may call the Investigations Section at (847) 247-8460.