19th and 20th DISTRICTS
Alley robbery
An armed robber took $230 and an LG cell phone at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in an alley of the 2100 block of W. School St. The robber shoved a man against a brick building and said, “You turn around, you’re dead. Give me all your money.” The offender shoved a hard object against the victim’s upper back, took his belongings, then fled.
Same pattern
As soon as a man left a currency exchange after cashing his check, he was robbed. At 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, in a parking lot of the 2800 block of N. Damen Ave., the offender stuck a hard object in the victim’s back and said, “Don’t turn around. Just give me your money.” The victim surrendered his $300.
Dark knifepoint robbery #1
At 12:40 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, a couple walking in the 1300 block of W. Waveland Ave. were robbed at knifepoint. Three Hispanic men approached and displayed 5” knives. One spoke in a very heavy accent: “Give me all your money!” He then patted down the male victim, removing $2 and a cell phone. At this point he told the victims, "Walk the other way and don’t look back.” The offenders fled to a car and sped off. The victims told police that the car had a very loud exhaust.
Police sent a flash message but did not apprehend the offenders. They were 20 years old, 5’ 8”, 160-180 lb. Two wore black coats, while the third wore a bulky black and white plaid coat.
Dark knifepoint robbery #2
Two Hispanic men took a purse at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, in the 1200 block of W. School St. They approached the victim from behind and demanded the purse, but she said, “No.” Then they circled in front of her and displayed a silver knife, saying, “Give me your purse!” They took the purse from the victim’s hand and ran to a white car parked in the alley. She lost the purse ($35), $90 cash, a cell phone and a state ID.
Dark knifepoint robbery #3
At 1:50 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, a man was robbed at knifepoint in an alley of the 2700 block of N. Greenview Ave. The victim had just gotten out of a taxi when he was approached by three Hispanic men in their 20’s, 5’6”-5’8”, 150 lb. The first brandished a knife and ordered the victim to give him everything he had. After the victim handed over a wallet and a cell phone, he was told to run away and he did. He lost $20, credit cards, and a driver’s license.
Dark knifepoint robbery #4
A white car was the getaway vehicle for four men who robbed two students at knifepoint around 1:50 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in the 1000 block of W. Wellington St. The students were walking when three of the offenders emerged from the car and ran towards them. One grabbed a victim by the neck and put a knife to his neck. The other two displayed knives and ordered the victims to give them everything they had. Both victims complied, losing $70 and a cell phone. The robbers jumped back into the white car, an older two-door Toyota with a rear window at a 90-degree angle, and fled.
Misfortune
At 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, a man fell victim to unfortunate circumstances in the 2600 block of N. Clark St. As he walked past a building he heard water coming from one of the building’s balconies. He looked up — and stepped into a broken grate, falling forward onto his arms. He went to Lincoln Park Hospital and was diagnosed with a broken left forearm.
Foot-long stout stick
According to police reports, a juvenile was involved in a verbal altercation with a taxi driver at 9:40 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the 4400 block of N. Western Ave. The juvenile then threw a foot-long stout stick at the cab in traffic, causing it to swerve in a traffic lane. The offender fled but police located him in a nearby alley; he was identified by a witness and arrested on a charge of Public Peace Violation: Reckless Conduct.
Drinking & stabbing
At 1:47 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, two drinking buddies got into an argument in the 4600 block of N. Clark St. One pulled out a wood-handled knife with a blade of nearly 10” and stabbed the other in the elbow. Witnesses flagged down police officers; an ambulance treated the victim on the scene. The offender was transported to the 23rd District for processing, and the knife was inventoried.
18th and 23rd DISTRICTS
Worthless document
An elderly Lakeview woman discovered a counterfeit check when she reviewed her bank statement this month. Someone generated a computerized check without her authorization. The document is labeled “authorized by your customer, no signature required.” The loss was $398.
Disguised & disgruntled
A “headless Osama Bin Laden” and a guy in Army fatigues carrying “Bin Laden’s head on a stick” are wanted for theft of services from Kit Kat Lounge, 3700 N. Halsted St. On Halloween night at 12:15 a.m., they entered the lounge and registered to be in a costume contest. They ordered food and drink totaling $55.72. When they failed to win the contest, they became disgruntled and verbally abusive, then left the premises without paying the bill.
Deceptive practice
The owner of a beauty shop in Roscoe Village was approached by a man who represented himself as a mortgage broker. He said he needed $1,500 to get a refinance loan processed. The owner gave him the check; he cashed it and “disappeared.” Phone calls and attorney’ s letters have been ignored, so the owner will file criminal charges.
Theft of services
Police in civilian dress observed a man passing through the turnstile at the Wilson Ave. CTA station at 10:32 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, without paying. He then boarded a train — and was taken into custody.
Bird Sanctuary
Police arrested a Wisconsin man and an Uptown man at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, in the 4500 block of N. Simmonds Dr. The two were engaged in oral sex in a car on park property at the Bird Sanctuary.
Dark knifepoint robbery #5
Two women left Matilda's Tavern and began to walk eastbound on Barry at 11:50 p.m. Nov. 8. As they reached the alley of 3100 N. Clark St., two Hispanic men in their early 20’s jumped out of the alley. One displayed a medium-sized Army knife and told the first victim, “ Give me your money,” but never got the proceeds. The other offender grabbed the purse of the second victim, containing $13, credit cards, driver’s license, cell phone, etc. The two offenders then jumped into a small older model gray car driven by a third Hispanic man. Both robbers wore dark jackets.
Dark knifepoint robbery #6
Around 2 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, a woman exited a cab in the 3200 block of N. Broadway — and was robbed at knifepoint. Two Hispanic men in their 20’s, both wearing dark jackets, approached her. One, carrying a knife, said, “ Give me what you have,” and the victim threw her purse at him. He said, “Thanks,” grabbed the purse, and fled with his accomplice to a waiting, “possibly white” car. She lost $20, a cell phone, a debit card, a driver’s license, etc.
Attempted robbery
An attempted strong arm robbery occurred in the 300 block of W. Grace St. at 4:20 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11. The victim entered a gangway. Two thin Hispanic men in their 20’s, both 6’, 170 lb., approached and asked for money for cigarettes. They then struck the victim in the face, knocking him to the ground. They attempted to get into his pockets but the victim kicked and yelled for help; the robbers fled. Both offenders wore dark hoodies, and one had a red and gray flannel jacket.
Strong arm robbery
At 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, a man was robbed in the hallway of a building in the 900 block of W. Cuyler Ave. As he opened the door to the building, a black woman and a white man followed him. As they all reached the first floor landing, the male offender asked for a dollar in exchange for some quarters. He then seized the victim by the throat. The woman went through his pockets, taking an ID, a cell phone, and $30, ripping the pants in the process. The two robbers then fled the building.
Police have clue
At 11:50 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14, a taxi picked up a couple whose 1992 Taurus had broken down in the 3400 block of N. Lake Shore Dr. He transported them to the bank and then to 5900 N. Ashland Ave. At this point the man, with his hand inside his pocket, said, “ I have a gun. Give me all your money.” The driver then surrendered $100 and a cell phone, and the couple fled. The driver returned to the abandoned car to record the license plate number for police.
The offenders were black, both about 26 and 200 lb. The man, with braided hair, was 5’4” and the woman 5’6”.
Shatter & steal
A burglar hit Sausalito Restaurant, 543 W. Diversey Ave., in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 6. He threw a rock through the glass front door, entered the restaurant and removed about $10 in change from the register. An evidence technician was summoned.
Pull over & report drunk drivers
Remember, cell phones can save lives. Pull over and report a drunk driver. Each year in Illinois thousands of motorists are injured, all too often fatally, in impaired driving crashes. Police in Illinois do arrest drunk drivers; however, they cannot detect everyone who takes that risk behind the wheel. You can help to prevent needless suffering by being alert to those who drive impaired.
Be proactive! If you see anyone driving in an erratic manner and you suspect they are under the influence, pull over and use your cell phone to report them to law enforcement. In most areas of the state a 911 call will get you to local law enforcement. The safest way is to dial your operator and ask for the police. Remember that the life you save may be your own.
Some facts about drunk driving in Illinois
* Each year between 45,000 and 50,000 DUI arrests are recorded.
* Drivers aged 25-34 have been consistently ranked highest in their involvement in fatal alcohol–related crashes. Drivers aged 35-44 are a close second. Unfortunately, this has been a trend for the past decade.
* Another alarming statistic is that the vast majority of those drivers tested for alcohol are at a level of intoxication at or exceeding the legal limit of .08 BAC.
* The bottom line is this: in Illinois young, productive adults are dying and/or killing others in alcohol–related crashes.
* Drivers aged 16-24 comprise only 16 percent of all licensed drivers in the State, yet they are involved in 34 percent of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.
* The average cost of a DUI conviction in Illinois is $11,070! This does not include estimates for medical treatment, compensatory damages to crash survivors, in-patient substance abuse programs or legal fees for jury trials. These cost well over $125,000 on average when a DUI occurs as part of a crash.
* The penalties for DUI differ if you are under the age of 21. Illinois has a zero tolerance law for all drivers under the age of 21. Any trace of alcohol in an underage driver’s system constitutes a violation and graduated penalties are applied.
* Each year between 45,000 and 50,000 DUI arrests are recorded.
* Drivers aged 25-34 have been consistently ranked highest in their involvement in fatal alcohol–related crashes. Drivers aged 35-44 are a close second. Unfortunately, this has been a trend for the past decade.
* Another alarming statistic is that the vast majority of those drivers tested for alcohol are at a level of intoxication at or exceeding the legal limit of .08 BAC.
* The bottom line is this: in Illinois young, productive adults are dying and/or killing others in alcohol–related crashes.
* Drivers aged 16-24 comprise only 16 percent of all licensed drivers in the State, yet they are involved in 34 percent of all fatal alcohol-related crashes.
* The average cost of a DUI conviction in Illinois is $11,070! This does not include estimates for medical treatment, compensatory damages to crash survivors, in-patient substance abuse programs or legal fees for jury trials. These cost well over $125,000 on average when a DUI occurs as part of a crash.
* The penalties for DUI differ if you are under the age of 21. Illinois has a zero tolerance law for all drivers under the age of 21. Any trace of alcohol in an underage driver’s system constitutes a violation and graduated penalties are applied. |
