Warm Hands Warm Hearts
Join the 18th District in a holiday drive to help Chicago’s needy. Donations of new socks, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves and winter coats (Size M, L, XL and XXL) are needed for adult men and women. Donations can be dropped off at the 18th District CAPS office, 1160 N. Larrabee St. For additional information, contact Officer Ferguson at (312) 742-5778.
Local student robbed at gunpoint, driven to ATM by offenders
At 6:35 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, a male DePaul student was robbed—and forced to get into the car with the offenders. He was approached in the 600 block of W. Wrightwood Ave. by two black males in an older gray four-door car. The first brandished a large black semi-automatic pistol and ordered the victim to give them his wallet, which contained credit cards and IDs, and his cell phone. He was then ordered into the car and driven through the area, stopping at 2500 N. Clark St.
The offenders went through the student's wallet to get an ATM card; they handled the driver’s license and returned it to the victim. Then the offenders told the victim to extract cash from the ATM. When the victim was unable to do so, one offender punched him in the check before the two fled. Responding police ordered an evidence technician to seek fingerprints on the driver’s license. The student cancelled the credit cards and discovered they had been used at three gas stations, each time for only $1 of gas. Possibly videotape at those stations will assist the investigation; there was no video surveillance of the ATM.
19th and 20th Districts
Aggravated assault with gun
A steam iron theft led to an aggravated assault on Friday, Nov. 12. A black male, about 30, 5’10", 160 lb., entered Walgreens, 740 W. Diversey Ave., around 6 p.m. and took a Perfection brand steam iron ($20) and put it in a paper bag. He then passed the register. When an employee asked him to stop, he lifted up his shirt—which in crimes often reveals a handgun as a threat—and said, "Out of my way or I’ll shoot you!" He then fled north on Halsted St., leaving the iron at the store.
Aggravated assault with knife
At 2:55 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, an eastbound man crossing Western Ave. at Leland Ave. encountered a driver on Leland Ave. waiting to make a right turn on Western Ave. to go northbound. After the light changed to no-walk, the pedestrian continued. The driver continually honked the horn and began shouting. At this point the pedestrian walked up to the driver’s window to confront him. The driver pulled a knife from the dashboard and swung it in the direction of the victim. Then the pedestrian stepped back in order to obtain the license plate number; the offender exited the vehicle with the knife in his pocket, took a few steps toward the victim, then returned to his car. He drove off northbound on Western Ave. Police have traced the license plate number.
Armed robbery
At 1:25 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, a man was walking at Berteau and Winchester avenues. He was approached by an offender who brandished a handgun and said, "Give me your money!" There were three other men behind the offender. "Don’t shoot him," one said. The victim tossed his wallet, containing $40, to the ground, and the gunman retrieved it. All the offenders fled on foot. The gunman was described as a white Hispanic, 25, 5’8", 160 lb., wearing a black hoodie and dark pants.
Armed robbery
Two black men robbed a 25-year-old female teacher in the 1000 block of W. School St. at 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11. Offender #1 approached her, put a revolver to her head and said, "Gimme your money or I’ll blow your brains out." The victim surrendered a small black purse containing $45, a cell phone, keys and a driver’s license. At this point the gunman jumped into a car driven by the second offender. The gunman was 30-35, 5’7", wearing a black hoodie and dark jeans.
Two dollar robbery
An armed robbery netted $2 on Saturday, Nov. 13. A man and a woman in their 20s were walking home from a bar at 1:45 a.m. and cut through an alley in the 3700 block of N. Racine Ave. An offender put a gun against the back of the man and said, "Give me your #@!# money!" The woman gave the offender the money from inside her purse; he said to give him her purse as well. She said she didn’t have anything in it and he swore and fled. He was described as black, 30, 5’5", 150 lb., with a shaved head and wearing a dark sweatshirt and dark jeans.
Disguised with bandannas
Four masked bandits robbed a bartender at 3:40 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in an alley in the 4100 block of N. Ashland Ave. The bandits wore bandannas to cover their faces. One pointed a handgun at the victim’s face and said, " Give me your @#!@ money or I’ll shoot you!" The victim surrendered his wallet, containing $40, then the offenders fled.
Counterfeit
A customer at Sinbad’s, 921 W. Belmont Ave., ordered food and attempted to pay with an altered $100 bill. When the cashier challenged the bill, the offender left. A lower-value bill had been cut and pasted to resemble a $100.
Burglary disturbs sleeper
At 11:55 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, a sleeping man heard a noise coming from the dining room of his apartment in the 1500 block of W. Roscoe St. He encountered a man who said, "If I wanted to kill you, I would have already done so. I was looking for money." The offender then fled out the rear door, unlocking it to get out. He had gained entry by forcing up the dining room window, which can be reached from the back porch. He was described as a white male, 40, 5’9", 170 lb., with an olive complexion and a goatee.
Stolen badge
A burglar entered a bathroom window via the back porch of an apartment in the 1400 block of W. Cornelia Ave. between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14. He took a Milwaukee County Ass’t Deputy Attorney badge, gold in color, in a flip leather wallet. He also took earrings, $5 and a flip phone, then exited through the rear door, leaving it open.
Roller blades & more
A burglar ransacked an apartment in the 3400 block of N. Marshfield Ave. after apparently entering through an unlocked rear door. Taken was a five-disc CD player, a CD case with 120 CDs, two DVDs, and a pair of roller blades. The crime occurred mid-day Sunday, Nov. 14.
Mail slot helps burglar
A wide mail slot located near the front door lock may have enabled a burglar to slip his hand through to open the lock and gain access, in a crime in the 2100 block of W. Cuyler Ave. that occurred sometime Monday, Nov. 15. Taken were a DVD player, a digital delay pedal board and two Fender guitars; the total loss was about $5,000.
18th and 23rd Districts
One hour absence
Residents of an apartment in the 1500 block of N. Mohawk St. left the building Wednesday, Nov. 17, from 8 to 9 p.m. When they returned, they found the exterior and interior back doors both pried open. Stolen were a wallet containing $20, IDs and credit cards; and a Dell computer, a palm pilot, and a cell phone, all in a black carry-case. While responding officers were at the scene, the victims received a call notifying them that the credit card had been used at Citgo, 1625 N. Halsted St. at 9:36 p.m. Police told Citgo to hold receipts and video for that occurrence for further investigation. An evidence technician was summoned to the apartment as well.
Tug of war
Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, a woman was unlocking the door to an apartment building in the 2300 block of N. Commonwealth Ave. when an unknown black male approached her from behind. He grabbed her purse and began to pull it. The harder he pulled, the harder she pulled back. Finally the offender pulled the purse from the victim, causing her to fall against the wall and injure her forehead. The offender fled and the victim called police. Taken were $70, a credit card, a driver’s license, a CTA pass and miscellaneous items.
Burglary at DePaul
An unknown offender apparently used a pry tool to remove a screen on the door to an office, then reached through to unlock the door. Taken was one I-Mac computer ($2,149). The crime occurred Nov. 15-16 in the 1000 block of W. Belden Ave.
Struggle for gun
At 5:10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, a security guard for a building in the 2300 block of N. Clybourn Ave. received a call that an ex-boyfriend was at the apartment of a female resident.
The guard went up to the apartment and confronted the man, telling him he would be arrested for criminal trespass.
The offender backed up to a stairwell, then resisted arrest and reached for the weapon of the guard. During the struggle for control of the pistol, it discharged with a single shot which appeared to strike the ground.
Both subjects stopped the struggle and checked to see if anyone was injured. The offender then fled down the stairwell and out an emergency exit. No injuries were reported or evident. The offender, 37, is a gang member.
Garage burglary
Someone pried open the side door of a garage in the 1500 block of N. Cleveland Ave. Nov. 12-14, damaging the door. The offender then cut the cables that were attached to two bikes and made off with one blue Raleigh men’s bike ($550).
Criminal damage to property
Two people were eating in an apartment in the 1500 block of N. State Pkwy. at 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, when they heard a noise by the window. Upon investigation, they discovered a hole in the windowpane made by some sort of projectile, but not made by a bullet.
Badly behaved guest
A 30-year-old guest at Embassy Suites, 511 N. Columbus Dr., was arrested for criminal damage to property. According to police reports, at 10:53 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, the Wisconsin man threw a metal garbage can ($180) over the rail from the 13th floor down onto the floor of the lounge area, damaging one armoire ($1,000).
Armed robbery
At 5:42 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15, an offender approached a CTA customer representative at a ticket booth at Chicago and State avenues. He placed a handgun to her back and ordered her to give up the tickets in her hand (two CTA access cards). She did, and he fled up the escalator to the street, then westbound on Chicago Ave. He was described as black, in his 50s, 5’11 with a slender build.
Disguised by masks
Two men wearing gorilla masks robbed an unemployed man at gunpoint on CHA grounds in the 1100 block of N. Larrabee St. at 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 15. As the victim walked out of the building, the two offenders confronted him with silver revolvers, saying, "Give me your money." The victim surrendered a wallet with $40 and a gold wedding band ($500). The offenders were both described as black, 30, 6’2", 230 lb., wearing black puffy jackets and jeans.
Blue jeans & electronics
Someone used a key to enter a business office in the 900 block of N. Michigan Ave. sometime Nov. 14-15. The offender stole a Dell flat-screen monitor ($400), a stereo with speakers ($450), a computer printer ($150), and a pair of blue jeans ($50). An evidence technician dusted for fingerprints.
Graffiti vandals
At 6:20 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, an off-duty police officer observed two men writing graffiti on city-owned light poles in the 2200 block of N. Halsted St. He detained the men until on-duty officers arrived. The first man acknowledged committing graffiti; four colored markers were found in his bag. The second man denied any involvement and gave police a false name and date of birth; he admitted his true identity only after police found his state ID card in the street gutter. When told he was under arrest for writing graffiti, he blurted out, "Not again!"
Criminal trespass
An officer conducting a narcotics investigation entered a CHA building in the 600 block of W. Division St. at 1:10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13. In the lobby he observed a man yelling "rocks" and "blows"—drug terminology. When this man observed the police officer, he fled. The officer pursued him and detained him. A resident of Aurora, and admitted gang member, he was placed under arrest for criminal trespass to state-supported land for preventing residents from use and enjoyment of the building by blocking the hallway.
Simple battery
A battery occurred at 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, in a CHA building in the 1000 block of N. Larrabee St. The offender, a black male aged 26, accosted a woman and became irate. He said, "@#!, you talk too much. Stay out of my business!" then picked her up and body slammed her on the concrete. She sustained injuries but refused medical attention. |
