Sunday, September 2, 2012

Crime News Update

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. May all of us also remember that a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.


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A 41-year-old West Lawn man has been arrested and charged in connection with Friday's robbery of the Marquette Bank branch at 6155 South Pulaski.

Robert Schweisthal of 62nd and Knox allegedly robbed the bank at about noon. Police say that a robber matching his description walked into the bank and stood in line. When summoned by a teller---a 29-year-old Gage Park woman---he walked up and appeared nervous, the teller told police. She said he did not make eye contact, fiddled with his cell phone and asked about how to open an account. She said she then briefly explained the process to him.

Shortly after that, he allegedly handed the teller a note that read, "I have a gun. Give me the money and no dye pack."

Robert Schweisthal
The teller complied by putting cash in a bag and handing it to the robber---who then ran out the door and drove away.

Police combing the area after the crime occurred were flagged down at 61st and Kildare by two men (a 26-year-old Chicago Lawn man and a 42-year-old Brighton Park man). The men told police they had followed the bank robber to that location and had allegedly seen him jump out of his car and run west through a gangway next to 6104 South Kildare.

Police report that they then saw Schweisthal nearby and apprehended him after a brief foot chase. He was brought back to 61st and Kildare and positively identified by the witnesses; and then IDed at the bank by the teller.


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A 58-year-old Vittum Park man told police he was robbed at gunpoint at 1:00 a.m. Friday, August 31 just after he withdrew cash from an ATM at the Citibank branch at 5674 South Archer.

The robber, armed with a large handgun, ordered the victim to hand over his money. The victim told police he responded by throwing $50 cash on the lobby floor. The bandit picked up the cash and fled on foot, north on Laramie.

The victim described the thug as a white Hispanic man, 20-30 years old, wearing a red cap and red shirt.


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Burglars smashed through the window of the front door of the U.S. Navy recruiting office at 5160 South Pulaski, stole a TV and fled out the back door.

5160 South Pulaski
The crime was discovered by a 27-year-old Navy petty officer when he arrived to open the office at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, September 1. He told police he discovered a beer can and a chunk of concrete nearby.


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An 18-year-old Archer Heights woman suffered a long scratch and a bruise on her upper left arm after scuffling with a thug who snatched her cell phone.

The woman was on a westbound CTA bus at 63rd and Karlov at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 1 when the robber yanked the phone away from her, jumped off the bus and ran east on 63rd Street. The woman also got off and chased him, catching the criminal at Komensky.

They struggled, and the crook pushed her to the sidewalk before fleeing east with her cell phone. He was last seen near 63rd and Springfield, running north.

The victim and a witness described the thug as a black man, 20-25 years old, 5'10 and 150 pounds, brown eyes, black braided hair and a dark complexion.

Chicago Police detectives are checking with the CTA to review footage from surveillance cameras on the bus.

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Two burglars pried open a side window at Las Asadas restaurant, 3834 West 47th Street, stole about $12 from a cash register and then failed to open the business' safe before fleeing out a rear door.

The crime was discovered at 2:56 a.m. Friday, August 31 when the burglar alarm was tripped. The restaurant's owner shared surveillance video with police, who are investigating.

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Burglars broke into the Home Products International warehouse and office at 5507 South Archer and stole several computerized product scanners.

The crime was discovered by a company manager at 5:30 a.m. Thursday, August 30 when he arrived on site and found the front door forced open and the office ransacked and ceiling tiles ripped down.

The company is sharing surveillance video with police.

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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 49th and Kildare and stole a power saw, a bicycle and 10 microphones.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 35-year-old man, at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, August 30.

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Burglars tried but failed to pry open the back door of a home near 67th and Knox.

Police responding to a burglary alarm at 1:25 p.m. Thursday, August 30 found the door and frame damaged, but no sign of entry. The homeowner, a 39-year-old man, told police he had reinforced the door and frame, which thwarted the criminals.

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A quick-thinking clerk thwarted an armed robber at the Citgo station at 4319 West 47th Street.

At about 10:40 p.m. Wednesday, August 29, the thug walked into the business, got a can of 7Up from the cooler and set it on the counter next to the cash register.

According to the clerk---a 32-year-old man---the robber then covered his face with a black-with-white-dots handkerchief before sliding aside a pane of bulletproof glass, brandishing a pistol and demanding cash.

The clerk quickly ducked away to a safe corner, and the frustrated crook fled the store on foot.

Police are reviewing video surveillance footage.

The clerk described the robber as a white Hispanic man, 25-30 years old, 5'5 to 5'7 and 160-175 pounds, brown eyes, black hair, light complexion, wearing a black skull cap, a black long-sleeved t-shirt and black pants.

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A 21-year-old Beverly View man was arrested last week in connection with a burglary and criminal damage to property in the Scottsdale neighborhood.

According to police, Marion Merill of 80th Place and Oakley was discovered attempting to steal a car jack from a garage near 86th and Tripp at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 29.

A 19-year-old man living at the address said that when he confronted Merill in the garage, he dropped the box that contained the jack. A scuffle ensued and spilled into the back yard.

Merill allegedly tried to force the victim to let him in the house. When the victim refused, Merill allegedly smashed a window of the home with a brick before fleeing north on Tripp with another man.

Police searched the area, and at 10:53 a.m. spotted two men walking near 83rd and Kostner and matching the description given by the victim. They were apprehended and brought to the victim, who positively identified Merill.

Police reported that Merill and the other man were carrying a black guitar case containing two electric guitars, as well as a backpack containing a Toshiba TV remote control.

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Burglars broke down the back door of a home near 61st and Kolin and stole a laptop computer, two TVs, two video game consoles, 10 video games and 10 Blu-ray movie discs.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 27-year-old man, at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 29.

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Four criminals dressed as house painters kicked in the back door of a home near 66th and Keating and stole $200 cash and a coin collection valued at $1,000.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 76-year-old man, at 4:30 p.m. Monday, August 27 who came home to find his house ransacked. A neighbor who told police he thought they were painters said he had seen them loading bags into a white Chevy van with temporary Illinois license plates.

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A burglar pried open the rear storm door of a house near 83rd and Scottsdale, kicked in the main door and stole three TVs, a laptop computer, an iPad, two wedding bands, a gold bracelet, a video game console, 10 video games and an unknown number of Blu-ray movie discs.

A 15-year-old neighbor who may have seen the offender described him to police as a black man age 18-20, 5'8 to 5'9 and 150-160 pounds, brown eyes, black hair in dreadlocks, medium complexion, wearing blue jeans,

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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 815 or 821 (see map above), come to St. Bruno School (south entrance), 4839 South Harding, at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, September 5. If you live in Beat 834, come to Bogan High School at 7:00 Thursday, September 6. Hear updates on crime in your neighborhood and learn how you can work with neighbors and police to make the community safer and better for all.


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2 comments:

  1. There was a film-shoot taking place in Garfield Ridge on Wed or Thurs (5/6th) along the southside of Archer (by/inside that new-wave
    barber-shop). It was going on around 6:30 pm (cars, trucks, film equipment, police, private security, etc.

    Any feedback as to what film will be showcasing Garfield Ridge in the near future?

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was supposedly an R Kelly video :(

    ReplyDelete