Community Corner

Troubled Cop Commits Suicide in Restaurant Parking Lot

Racine County Medical Examiner says Robert Hebein died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

A former Illinois police officer with a history of legal troubles took his own life Sunday night in the parking lot of Infusino's Pizzeria — less than one month before he was due in court on felony theft charges, authorities said.

Robert Hebein, 51, of Racine, shot himself in the chest, Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne said. Racine police responded to the call at the restaurant, 3325 Rapid Drive, at 6:36 p.m.

Hebein is a former Schaumburg, IL, police officer who was arrested in 2001 for a possible connection to the armed robbery of a currency exchange in Elgin, IL, according to the Daily Herald.
 
He was charged last December with felony theft in Milwaukee County after witnesses identified him as the man who drove a semi tractor trailer off the lot of Dalor Transit in Franklin in December 2011 and then sold most of the contents of the trailer. According to the criminal complaint, the semi tractor was worth $50,000, and the 42,000 pounds of brass inside the trailer was worth over $113,000. 

He pleaded guilty in May and was supposed to be sentenced July 17, according to online court records. Other Milwaukee County court records show only traffic violations for not wearing a seatbelt and driving without insurance.

Racine County court records show that Hebein was convicted in 2006 after he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct charges stemming from a 2005 incident. He also had several traffic violations and four civil cases listed.

In his suicide note, Hebein mentioned being fired, of having some of his things repossessed and of continuing legal troubles, Payne said.

"It is sad that Mr. Hebein felt his financial, employment and legal troubles were more than he could handle," Payne said.


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