By Mary Corrado
Editor
The general neighborhood where Wilson Ave. meets the lake seems to be a hotbed of sexual offenses, and neighbors are concerned. Just yesterday a 46-year-old female law student saw a man loitering under the Lake Shore Drive underpass for her car to draw near; he exposed himself to her as she drove through, then he approached her car as she parked in the lot and "flashed" her again.
Many arrests for public indecency and prostitution have occurred within a one-mile radius of the intersection of Wilson Ave. and Simonds Dr. this summer, and a recent criminal sexual assault on park property has especially distressed local residents. (Simonds Dr. is the driveway within the park that runs parallel to the lake.)
The recent criminal sexual assault occurred in the 4600 block of N. Simonds Dr. at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3. Two witnesses called police to the scene where they observed a parked red ’96 Pontiac; a blanket lay in front of the vehicle and on the blanket were a male Hispanic and a four-year-old girl. The police asked, “Who is the little girl?” “ My daughter,” the man said.
The officers observed two adults sitting in a parked car nearby and conducted a field interview, asking if they had seen anything inappropriate between the male Hispanic and the little girl. The female said she was the caller to 911. She had observed the offender showing the child how to place her hands and how to rub his genitals, and had seen the child complying. She also had observed the man laying on his back and placing the little girl on his face so her genital area was near his mouth. The male witness concurred with the account.
Both witnesses had a clear and unobstructed view and said the criminal activity took place over an extended period of time. Police placed the offender into custody and transported him to District 23 for processing.
Within one mile of that site, many sex offenses have occurred this summer:
An incident of criminal sexual abuse occurred Aug. 4 in an apartment in the 4500 block of N. Sheridan Rd., at 11 p.m.
At 6 p.m. Sunday, July 18, in the 4500 block of N. Lake Shore Drive, a 40-year old man exposed his penis and urinated in the park. He was charged with public indecency.
A woman walking in the 900 block of W. Windsor Ave. at 1 p.m. Friday, July 9, observed a black man, about 45, opening his pants and playing with his penis. Responding officers toured the area but could not locate the offender.
At 11 a.m. July 9, there was an arrest for prostitution in the 1000 block of W. Sunnyside Ave.
Similar crimes led to numerous arrests in the month of June. On June 30 at 8:05 p.m., criminal sexual abuse took place in an apartment in the 600 block of W. Sheridan Rd.
On June 24 eight arrests for public indecency were made at 4400 N. Simonds Dr. in the six hours between 2:40 p.m. and 8:40 p.m.
Two men masturbating in public view in the 4400 block of N. Simonds Dr. were observed by police at 4:40 p.m. Thursday, June 17 and were arrested. Later the same day, three other men in the 4400 block, and one man in the 4500 block, of N. Simonds Drive were arrested for public indecency.
At 3:39 p.m. June 12, a prostitute was arrested in the 4600 block of N. Broadway. At 7:28 p.m. June 10, a prostitute was arrested in the 4600 block of N. Kenmore Ave.
In the 4600 block of N. Winthrop Ave. at 2 a.m. Wednesday, June 9, police saw a man, 27, and a woman, 43, having sex in a parking lot in view of passing pedestrians. They were arrested for public indecency.
At 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 9, police in civilian dress entered the “Magic Hedge” bird sanctuary at 400 W. Montrose and observed a 45-year-old man masturbating. The man then offered oral sex to the officers; he was arrested for public indecency.
At the same time and place, other officers in civilian dress saw a man masturbating and charged him with public indecency.
At 2:05 a.m. on June 8, an arrest for prostitution was made in the 4600 block of N. Broadway.
At 4:40 p.m. Sunday, June 6, in the 4400 block of N. Simonds Dr., police noticed a man masturbating in open view and arrested him.
Also on June 6, there was one arrest for prostitution in the 1000 block of W. Argyle St.
On June 3 there were three arrests for prostitution in the 5000 block of N. Sheridan Rd.
On June 2, five arrests for solicitation for prostitution were made in the 1000 block of W. Argyle St. as well as seven in the 5000 block of N. Sheridan Rd.
Each of these sex offenses occurred within one mile of the intersection of Wilson Ave. and Simonds Dr. in June, July or August of 2004.
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