Harvey man arrested for getting into elderly woman's vehicle on I-55, robbing her: state police
Pictured is 42-year-old Constantin Birzan, of Harvey, Ill.
DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. - A Harvey man is behind bars after allegedly sneaking into an elderly woman's vehicle on I-55, forcing her to drive to another location and robbing her.
Constantin Birzan, 42, is facing a string of charges stemming from an incident on June 7, 2023, according to the Illinois State Police. They include:
- One count of aggravated robbery - indication of dangerous weapon, a Class 1 felony
- One count of robbery - victim 60 years or older, a Class 1 felony
- One count of kidnapping - secretly confine another against their will, a Class 2 felony
- Theft - unauthorized control with intent $500-$10,000, a Class 3 felony
- One count of unlawful restraint, a Class 4 felony
A 75-year-old woman told police while she was stopped in traffic on the interstate, Birzan allegedly went into the front passenger door of her car, demanded money and took her wallet.
He then forced the woman to drive to another location, where he robbed her of the money she took out of a financial institution, police say.
Following an investigation into the incident, authorities obtained an arrest warrant in DuPage County for Birzan on Feb. 23, 2024.
Over a month later, he was arrested in Maryland on the arrest warrant.
Birzan has since appeared in court and is being held in the DuPage County Jail.