19th and 20th Districts
Left glove
A burglar left behind a vinyl examination glove when he struck a residence in the 1400 block of W. Hollywood Ave. Sometime between 8:15 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, he entered the west basement window, breaking the glass. He traveled through the house, took $100 worth of jewelry and then exited via the basement door. This same home was burglarized on Dec. 17 as well. An evidence technician was summoned to take fingerprints.
Shoplifting
At 6:05 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30, a clerk at Walgreens, 5625 N. Ridge Ave., observed a man hiding merchandise underneath his sweatshirt. The man then tried to leave the store but he was detained. He had four razors, two cans of shaving gel, a carton of Newport Kings cigarettes and a bottle of orange juice all under his clothes. He was taken into custody.
Shoplifting
In the Jewel, 5343 N. Broadway, a man was caught shoplifting at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30. The security agent observed him placing cosmetics and a pack of batteries in a plastic Jewel bag and then exiting the store without paying for them.
Strong arm robbery
A man was robbed of Xanax medication in a robbery at noon Wednesday, Jan. 26, in the 5000 block of N. Broadway. Someone pushed him from behind, causing him to fall and hit his head. The offender then removed the medication from the victim’s pocket. The victim was taken to Weiss Hospital.
PlayStation & jewelry
An apartment in the 1900 block of W. Winnemac Ave. was burglarized between 12:30 and 7:20 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. Residents returned to find the bedroom drawers pulled out and piled on the bed, and the living room in disarray. A PlayStation, several PlayStation games, and some jewelry was taken. Responding officers noted a damaged back door—the dead bolt had been removed by unscrewing its screws. No pry marks were seen and no tools were recovered.
Theft from building
Unknown offenders entered an apartment in the 5000 block of N. Ashland Ave. on Monday, Jan. 31. They opened all the cabinets and took $200 worth of jewelry. There were no signs of forced entry. The back door was unlocked when the residents returned.
Theft over $300
Someone stole a wallet from a purse while the owner was sitting in Madrigals Café, 5316 N. Clark St., at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30. Taken was $450, IDs, and two checks.
Stolen twice
A 2003 Kia Optima was stolen and recovered—and then re-stolen before the victim was able to retrieve the vehicle. It was parked at 5838 N. Broadway at 6:05 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31, when it was first stolen. The victim said the offender, known only as Eddie, had taken the keys to the car.
Theft over $300
Two Sony radio-CD players disappeared from a medical office in the 5100 block of N. Ravenswood Ave. sometime Monday, Jan. 31. They were valued at $220 each.
Tools from truck
A carpenter parked his ’03 Chevy truck in the 500 block of N. Marine Dr. at 8 a.m. Monday, Jan. 31. When he returned at 5:45 p.m. he noticed a window was broken and some tools were missing. Taken was a finish nailer, brad nailer, drill, screwdriver, screw gun, and more.
Loiter & snatch
A woman left her purse on the front seat of her unlocked '00 Infiniti while she paid for gas at the Clark Station, 1745 W. Foster Ave., at 9:35 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1. A male offender reached into the car, took the purse and fled southbound on Ravenswood Ave. A witness chased down the offender and recovered the purse; however, $100 cash, a credit card and a driver’s license were no longer in it.
The witness saw the offender enter a silver minivan driven by a Hispanic woman with a pierced upper lip. The gas station attendant told police he had seen both offenders loitering around the station for an extended time. He also said there are no working cameras outside by the pumps.
Youth takes brandy
A 14-year-old girl was arrested for stealing a bottle of brandy from a Jewel-Osco, 5343 N. Broadway, at 9:25 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1. She entered the store with a male companion and they went directly to the liquor department. The two had a brief discussion, then she placed the brandy in her jacket, walked past the last point of purchase and attempted to exit the store. The security guard placed her into custody. Her companion had preceded her out of the store.
Financial ID theft
Someone took the name, address, and social security number of a local woman and then used them to open several credit card accounts back in 1999. The offender made payments on these accounts until now, when the offender finally stopped. The victim found out when the credit card companies began to pursue collection of debts.
Aggravated assault
A 50-year-old woman carrying a baseball bat knocked on the door of a stranger in an apartment building in the 5000 block of N. Winthrop Ave., verbally threatening him, around 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 29. The resident called police. A witness, who observed the bat-wielding woman via security camera, also called police. The offender was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
Car theft
A ’95 Lincoln Town Car was parked in the 5200 block of N. Winchester Ave. Saturday, Jan. 29, at 12:01 a.m. The owner discovered it stolen at 8:45 a.m.
18th and 23rd Districts
Three against one
A 50-year-old man with a disability was attacked by three young men in the lobby of a residence hotel in the 1300 block of W. Wilson Ave. at 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3. The incident started when he was talking to an unknown woman in the lobby. The three male offenders, all black, ages 18-26, approached him, “You were talking to my girl,” one said. “How much money you got on you?” One offender grabbed the victim's left arm while another grabbed his right arm; the third offender went through the victim’s pockets and took his wallet containing $250. All the offenders then began punching the man about the face and torso, causing a bloody nose and cut, swelling lips. They fled the building.
Robbed in alley
At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, a restaurant employee was robbed as he walked home from a currency exchange. In an alley of the 1200 block of W. Wilson Ave., two men approached him, pushed him to the ground, and punched him several times about the body. They then searched his pockets, taking $180.
Purse snatching
When a man approached a woman in the 4400 block of N. Sheridan Rd. at 10:40 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, and asked for spare change, she opened her purse and pulled out her money. He then grabbed her wallet and purse and ran, eventually dropping the purse. He made off with $100 belonging to the victim.
Purse snatching
At 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, a woman stood in front of a restaurant in the 3200 block of N. Broadway to wait for friends. A man ran by and grabbed her purse. After a short tug-of-war, the offender pulled the purse from her hands and continued running. The victim and four witnesses chased after him. He ran southbound to Aldine Ave. and headed west. He cut through an alley to Buckingham Pl. and jumped into a waiting U-Haul (12-15 passenger size) cargo van driven by an accomplice.
Stolen were $30, gift cards worth $50, a credit card, a bank card, a driver’s license and keys.
Retail theft
A woman was arrested for retail theft at Ulta, 3015 N. Clark St., at 7:26 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. A security guard saw her take several cosmetics and perfumes and put them into her unzipped purse. She then left the store without paying, and was detained. A total of $124 of unpaid merchandise was found in her purse, along with an Illinois driver's license and IDs that were not hers. The offender admitted that she takes merchandise to return later for credit or money, using the fake IDs to pose as a different person during the return.
Shoe theft
At Marshall’s, 3131 N. Clark St., at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, a woman replaced her worn shoes with a new pair, worth $25. She then walked to the cashier and paid for a man’s belt only, and left the store without paying for the shoes. She was arrested and transported to the 23rd District.
Tide in pants
At 9:06 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, a man placed several items on the counter at White Hen Pantry, 2757 N. Pine Grove Ave., then asked how much New port cigarettes cost. The cashier said, “$5.99.” “ I have to ask her if that’s what she wants,” he said, quickly exiting the store, leaving the items on the counter. A check of the security tape showed he had taken two bottles of Tide, each 50 oz., by placing them inside his pants. The witness followed the offender to another store but could not locate him there.
Eventual arrest
A man dropped off a prescription at Walgreens, 4646 N. Marine Dr., on Friday, Jan. 28, then put four packages of Duracell AA 8-count batteries into his backpack and left. When he returned on Wednesday, Feb. 2, to pick up his prescription, he was arrested. |
