Local Crime Roundup

Editor's note: The crime news reported by the Southwest Chicago Post---taken directly from Chicago Police Department incident reports---is not by any means an exhaustive catalogue of all crime reported in the Chicago Lawn (8th) District. For example, it typically does not include news of crimes committed in the eastern and southern sectors of the district---because the Southwest Chicago Post's coverage area is primarily the neighborhoods that border Midway Airport and secondarily because including the relatively large volume of crime news from elsewhere in the district would be a logistical challenge. We make this note to offer a little helpful perspective and remind everyone that while crime is definitely a concern in all parts of the district (as it always has been), crime remains relatively low overall in Sector 1. May all of us work together diligently to keep it that way.

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A 27-year-old reputed gangbanger from the Ashburn neighborhood was arrested at about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 after allegedly hitting a police officer.

Jaime Rodriguez was one of four men reportedly flashing gang signs and shouting gang slogans in front of a vacant building at 5954 South Maplewood. The other three were a 22-year-old Archer Heights man, a 23-year-old Gage Park man and a 34-year-old man from the Southeast Side.



Jaime Rodriguez

Police say that when the four saw them approaching, they started walking away in opposite directions. Rodriguez allegedly struck an officer on her right hand, and then adopted a fighting stance while hollering, "F~ck you, b~tch. Let's go!" In response, the officer used a Taser electroshock weapon in an attempt to subdue Rodriguez.

He then reportedly fell to the ground on his stomach, but kept his hands in his waistband (implying he had a weapon), according to police. The officer ordered him to take his hands out of his waistband and put them behind his back. When he refused, he was Tasered a second time and then put his left hand behind his back---but kept his right in his waistband. The officer Tasered him a third time---after which he put both hands behind his back and was handcuffed.

As Rodriguez was searched by the arresting officer, he allegedly said, "I'm gonna get you, white b~tch motherf~cker" and then spat on her.

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An 18-year-old West Lawn woman was arrested in mid-afternoon Monday, May 14 in connection with a strong-arm robbery that occurred in a home near 59th and Kostner.




Yacziri Delgado

 Yacziri Delgado was accused of yanking a gold chain off the neck of a 26-year-old woman and fleeing. A 31-year-old man who witnessed the crime said he followed the offender to a home near 61st and Kildare, where she went inside.

Police patrolling the area later saw a woman matching the description of the offender, walking on the sidewalk in front of 4420 West 59th Street. They apprehended Delgado and searched her, finding a gold chain hidden in her bra---which the victim identified as hers. Police searched Delgado's purse and found a total of three grams of cannabis inside.

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A 39-year-old construction worker returning to his home near 48th and Kostner at 5:40 a.m. Wednesday, May 16 discovered that burglars had kicked in the garage service door and stolen about $2,000 worth of his construction tools, as well as a $5,000 paint sprayer pump belonging to his employer, a Romeoville-based construction company.

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Burglars broke into a rear bedroom window of a home near 51st and Ridgeway and stole two diamond engagement rings and a wedding ring from a jewelry box in the bedroom.

The crime was discovered by the victim, an 84-year-old woman, at 2:30 p.m. Monday, May 14 after she returned home from the hospital.

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Burglars smashed a kitchen window of a home near 61st and Springfield and crawled inside, leaving a trail of blood drops in the kitchen and a rear bedroom; but apparently only stole a case of Coca-Cola.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 60-year-old man, at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 16.

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A thug yanked a gold chain (with a gold heart pendant) off the neck of a 46-year-old Archer Heights woman as she walked through the parking lot at the Gilmart grocery store, 5050 South Archer, at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, May 15.

The robber ran up to the victim from behind, flashed a small pocket knife, pulled the chain off her neck and fled on foot west through the adjacent alley---and then north through the alley between Karlov and Kedvale.

The victim described him as a white Hispanic man, age 17-21, 5'5 and 140 pounds, brown eyes and black hair, medium complexion, wearing a blue and white hooded sweatshirt, green shorts and black and white gym shoes.

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Two thieves stole a lawnmower and a grass trimmer from a garage near 58th and Tripp in the late morning of Tuesday, May 15.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 55-year-old man, at about noon.

A neighbor who lives across the street from the victim said he had earlier seen two men at the victim's home, but assumed they were friends. He described one man as a white Hispanic man, 25 years old, 6'0 and 210 pounds; and the other as a black man, with no other details.

The victim told police that there was no sign of forced entry because he had left the garage's service door unlocked.

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Burglars entered a home near 64th and Lorel and stole about 80 movies on DVDs, 15 bracelets, three autographed photos of Chicago Bears legend Gale Sayers, and an antique bong (a filtration device generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco or other herbal substances).

The crime was discovered by the victim, 49-year-old woman, at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 15. She told police that when she came home, she noticed that her home's back door was unlocked. She said that her son had misplaced his house keys several days before; and that she suspects his friends of committing the crime.

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An 18-year-old reputed gang member from Archer Heights was arrested on Tuesday, May 15 for illegal possession of a handgun and drugs.



File photo---example only.

 Acting on a tip, police obtained a search warrant and placed the home of Eric "Reaper" Gamino under surveillance from about 3:00 p.m. They observed him walking out of the gangway to the front of the home (4935 South Komensky) and looking up and down the street. He then walked back into the gangway. He and another man then got on bicycles and rode away.

They returned a short time later and sat on the front porch for a while before walking to the back of the house---out of view of police surveillance.

When police walked to the rear of the house, they announced themselves and presented the search warrant. Gamino had apparently left and was not there, police said. They then searched the home and found a loaded, chrome/nickel plated pistol under a shirt on a bed. They also found 29 grams of cannabis in an empty AriZona Iced Tea can with a false lid.

Police spoke with Gamino's mother, who called him and told him to come home. He did, and was placed under arrest. According to police, he told them that the cannabis was for his own personal use and that he had purchased the gun recently for $250 from a man in the neighborhood---for his own protection.

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