A former Niles police officer has been convicted of stealing $1,700 from a man who had been discovered dead in his room at a north suburban YMCA in 2009.
William Christie, 53, was found guilty of one felony count of theft after a trial before Judge Angela Petrone, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
In November 2009, Christie responded to a call at the Niles YMCA and found a resident had died in his room, according to prosecutors. He sealed off the room and told staff no one should go inside.
Over the next few days, Christie aroused the suspicions of the staff by attempting to access the room several times, prosecutors said. The staff contacted Niles police, who placed hidden surveillance equipment in the room.
Christie was recorded taking the dead man’s cash and putting it in a cardboard box, prosecutors said. The next day, he visited a credit union and deposited just over $500 into his account. Surveillance footage from the credit union shows him entering with the same cardboard box.
Authorities said Christie stole about $1,700 total from the deceased man.
He contacted the victim’s sister, who lived out of state, and offered to clean out the man’s room, prosecutors said. He forwarded her $274, along with a note saying that was the total amount found.
Christie is scheduled to be sentenced April 6.
