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18th and 23rd Districts
This little light of mine
A fire struck the Kenwood of Lakeview, 3101 N. Sheridan Rd., at 3:18 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. A resident lit a candle that ignited Christmas decorations. The fire spread to a kitchen wall, ceiling and cabinets. The fire was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system as well as the Chicago Fire Department, which responded with five engines, three trucks, one battalion chief, one tower, one command unit and one ambulance. There were no reported injuries or displacements.
Footprints of burglar
A burglar entered an occupied house in the 400 block of W. Roslyn Pl. the night of Dec. 1-2. The owner had left a briefcase in the kitchen, and the burglar slid open a side window to get inside and steal it. He left his footprints in the snow and on the kitchen floor. In the briefcase were an IBM Think Pad, a mini I-Pod, a credit card, and $360 cash.
Stolen or slipped out?
A small dog was missing—then returned—in a burglary in the 400 block of W. Belmont Ave. on Friday, Dec. 2. The residents were out of the apartment only from 1:50 to 2:20 p.m. When they returned, they opened the front door to find the dog missing and the back door kicked in. Also gone were a PlayStation 2, six PlayStation games, a laptop, a stereo, and a black butterfly knife. Later an unknown white woman returned the dog.
Hand print of burglar
After a burglary in the 900 block of W. Newport Ave., police found a hand print on a side window that was apparently the point of entry. Between 8:20 a.m. and 9:20 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, the burglar slipped in and stole a laptop ($2,000) and a red, white and black gym bag ($150).
Burglar fails to shut door
In the 3100 block of N. Pine Grove Ave., a woman woke suddenly and for no apparent reason at 4 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. She discovered that the back door was wide open and that her black knit purse was missing. The purse contained $500, IDs and credit cards. There was no tampering to the door and no forced entry.
$1,850 in jewelry
A woman lost most of her jewelry in a burglary in the 700 block of W. Barry Ave. sometime Dec. 2-3. The thief took a watch ($50), tanzanite ring ($700), diamond earrings ($400), gold necklaces ($200), rings of pearl, sapphire, and silver ($300), and many earrings ($200).
Breaking & entering
A Minolta camera and 15 DVDs were swiped in a burglary in the 3900 block of N. Fremont St. Monday, Dec. 5. The resident returned to find his front door cracked in half.
Debit debacle
A construction worker lost his debit card in the 100 block of N. Rush St. about two weeks ago. On Dec. 5 he discovered that someone had charged $2,000 to his account, even without the pin number.
Strong arm robbery
At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, two black males robbed a man in the 4500 block of N. Sheridan Rd. One offender grabbed the man from behind while the other reached inside the victim’s pockets, taking $40 and a bottle of medicine.
Pocket picking
A woman standing in Frank's Bar, 2507 N. Clark St., had her wallet lifted from her purse at 2:45 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. A black male bumped against her right side and then pulled at her purse, which was on the victim’s right shoulder. She then reached into her purse and noticed that her wallet was missing. A witness followed the man to the parking lot and noted the license plate of the maroon Buick in which he rapidly fled. The victim lost $30, credit cards and IDs.
Unattended purse
“I was placing grocery bags on the ground from the taxi cab, and I put my purse on the ground. The guy walking by grabbed it and ran away,” said the victim of a purse snatching. The crime occurred at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in the 700 block of W. Cornelia Ave. She lost $200, a cell phone, and medicine. The offender was described as a black male, in his 20’s , 6’, 160 lb. |
19th and 20th Districts
1 coin, 20 strands
A burglar got a gold ducat coin (20 mm, 3.5 grams) worth $800 in a crime in the 1400 block of W. Edgewater Ave. during the day Monday, Dec. 5. He pried open the back door and stole the coin as well as 20 strands of costume jewelry.
Construction site burglary
Sometime over the weekend of Dec. 3-4, thieves broke into a construction site in the 5500 block of N. Sheridan Rd., removing several items and breaking into a locked Job Box. Among the stolen goods were a DeWalt Saw, DeWalt twin pack batteries, a Maketa belt sander, three DeWalt screw guns, four Rotor Zip rotors, a 10’ 90-tooth blade, a contractor's packaged saw blade, a Panther cable trim pack, a 12-piece Stanley chisel set, a Trim nail gun, a Trim staple gun, and a Trim brad gun. An evidence technician was summoned to take prints and photos.
Break & take
Between 1 and 1:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, someone smashed the passenger window of a gray 2002 Jeep parked in the 4800 block of N. Broadway. The thief then stole a bag of IDs, bank statements, keys, etc.
Team of thieves
According to police reports, two women worked together to scam a department store in the 5200 block of N. Clark St. at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5. For a while, they pretended to shop. Then, one woman pretended to have an attack while the second grabbed an orange zip jacket ($180) and fled. The first was described as black, 50-60, 6’1”, 200 lb., wearing a short red wig. The second was black, in her 60’s, 5’2” to 5’3”, 150 lb., wearing a white hat and white fur/leather jacket.
Financial facts gone
In the 2000 block of W. Summerdale Ave., someone entered an apartment and removed a binder of personal financial information on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
Quick theft
At an SRO (Single Room Only) in the 5000 block of N. Winthrop Ave., someone stole items from the front office between 4:30 and 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Taken were a Nextel phone, Nokia picture phone, and a black vinyl gym bag containing a Walgreens camera, a checkbook and 10 CDs.
At an SRO (Single Room Only) in the 5000 block of N. Winthrop Ave., someone stole items from the front office between 4:30 and 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. Taken were a Nextel phone, Nokia picture phone, and a black vinyl gym bag containing a Walgreens camera, a checkbook and 10 CDs. |
Masked robbers with gun
Two armed robbers wearing black masks got $498 from a woman exiting the Sheridan CTA station at 10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5. According to police reports, two black males approached her, put a gun in her back, and said, “Shut up and give up your money.” They grabbed her purse and dumped the contents on the ground, taking only her money. |
Holiday safety tips
This holiday season should be a time of great joy as we celebrate and share gifts with those close to us. Unfortunately, it can be a time when crime becomes more prevalent.
* Be alert—Walk confidently, with your head up, and stay in well-lit and well-traveled areas. Pay attention to people walking in front of you and behind you. Pay particular attention when you are in crowded areas, such as buses and trains or malls and stores that are filled with other shoppers. Places with large crowds are favorites for thieves and pickpockets.
If you carry a purse, keep it in front of you and close to your body. You can do this by covering the flap or clasp with your hand or forearm. Never leave your purse in a shopping cart or on a counter while you pay for your purchases. When using public washrooms, use extreme caution—try to avoid putting your purse on hooks or door handles. Remember not to carry open weave bags or purses without zippers or flaps. Those are easy marks for pickpockets.
Keep your purse with you at all time. Note: Keys should not be carried in your purse. In the event of a purse snatching, the thief will have your address and keys to your home. Keep your keys in your pocket if possible. If you carry a change purse or wallet, keep it in your front pants pocket or in the inside breast pocket of your coat. Always be alert when opening your purse or wallet.
Try to shop with friends or relatives. Not only is there safety in numbers, but shopping in a group will give you a chance to catch up on things and renew friendships.
* Be discreet: Never carry large amounts of money. Whenever possible, use credit cards or checks instead of cash. When using credit cards, make sure only one credit slip is printed with your charge card. Also, be sure to tear up any carbons that may be used to complete the transaction. Credit card fraud can ruin your holiday season.
Thieves and pickpockets are more likely to be attracted to expensive clothes and jewelry. When you are out doing your holiday shopping, dress comfortably and casually.
* Secure your car: Cars can be an easy target for criminals. Park your car as close to your destination as possible and in a well-lit area. When you do your shopping, remember to store your packages in the trunk of the car and not on the back seat. Also, if you take packages to the car but plan to return to the store or mall, drive your car to a new location within the parking lot. Criminals can be on the lookout for unsuspecting shoppers who simply drop their purchases into the trunk and return to keep shopping.
When returning to your auto (or home) have your keys in your hand, ready to open the door. The few moments you save may keep you from becoming a crime victim. Before entering your vehicle, carefully check the front and rear seats and floors for anyone who may be hiding there. Lock your doors immediately after entering your vehicle.
* Secure your home: When you are out shopping, leave some lights on at home. You may also want to let a neighbor know that you will be out of the house for a short time, so they can watch your house for you. If you plan to be away for a longer period to visit a friend or family over the holidays, make sure to tell a neighbor or friend who can keep an eye on your house. Have them check periodically to make sure packages that may have been delivered while you were gone aren’t sitting on your porch. |
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