Monday, November 12, 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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An 18-year-old gangbanger from Brighton Park was arrested at about 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 9 on several charges.

Police said that Ricardo "Insane" Villa of 45th and Maplewood was taken into custody near 63rd and Kostner.


Ricardo Villa
Police driving west near 63rd and Keeler said they saw a dark-colored SUV driven by Villa. The vehicle was swerving in and out of its lane and appeared to nearly strike a small white car, they reported.

Villa then allegedly pulled alongside the white car, sideswiped it, hollered at the driver, tried to run it off the road, and sped away west.

Police say they stopped Villa at a red light at 63rd and Kostner. They reported that Villa did not have a valid driver's license or proof of insurance; and that his breath smelled of alcohol and he appeared drunk (slurred speech, trembling and aggressiveness).

As officers cuffed Villa and put him in the back seat of the squad, Villa allegedly spat on the police computer and elsewhere in the car. Officers then removed him from the car and called for a cage car. When they did that, Villa allegedly tried to spit on an officer, who responded by smacking his face in the other direction.

Villa also was allegedly shouting obscenities at the officers, who forcibly sat him on the curb to await the cage car.

At the CPD Eighth District station, Villa reportedly claimed he was short of breath. A CFD ambulance transported him to Holy Cross Hospital, where he refused medical treatment and was returned to the police station.


* * *

An armed thug robbed the Dunkin' Donuts at 4649 South Cicero and made off with $200 cash.


4649 South Cicero
The crime occurred at 8:48 p.m. Friday, November 9. The crook walked into the shop, ordered staff to open the cash register and given him the cash, and then waved a blue steel pistol.

The criminal then fled the store, running away north on Cicero and then east on 46th Street.

Police are reviewing Dunkin' Donuts surveillance video, as well as a CPD pod camera near 46th and Cicero.


* * *

Burglars cut a hole in the back wall of Super Mall of the Midway, 5220 South Pulaski, went to the J & L Jewelry stall inside, cut a hole in the back of a safe and made off with $1,000 cash and assorted jewelry.


5220 South Pulaski
The crime occurred between 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, November 7 and 9:30 a.m. Thursday, November 8.

The criminals managed to circumvent the mall's alarm system. Mall management and police are reviewing surveillance video footage.





* * *

Burglars broke through the service door of a garage near 79th Place and Kilbourn and stole a snow blower, a lawn mower, a weed trimmer, a drill and a saw.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 64-year-old woman, in late October; but she reported it to police at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, November 8.


* * *

Three men having a beer in a garage near 52nd and Kenneth were robbed by five masked thugs.

The crime occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Friday, November 9. The overhead door was open, and four of the criminals walked into the garage---ordering the victims, in Spanish, to give up all their money and valuables. (The fifth criminal remained at the wheel of their getaway car.)

Two of the thugs held knives; a third held a crow bar.

Stolen from the three victims was an assortment of cash, credit/debit cards, IDs, gold chains, an Our Lady of Guadalupe medallion, and a case of Budweiser.

The thugs fled in a red vehicle, and they were described as white Hispanic boys and men between the ages of 15-25.

* * *

Burglars kicked in the side door of a home near 69th and Tripp and stole a laptop computer, an iPad, a cell phone, a wedding band and other assorted jewelry.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 34-year-old man, when he came home from work at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, November 8.


* * *

Burglars broke through the service door of a garage near 53rd and Newcastle and stole a lawn mower, a snow thrower, and several power tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 67-year-old man, at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 7.


* * *

A 15-year-old Vittum Park boy said he was robbed of his cell phone as he stood on a sidewalk near 47th and Lavergne at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, November 7.

He told police that a teenager walked up to him and asked to use his phone. The boy complied; and then the robber reportedly asked, "Do you have any sisters?" When the boy said he did, the thug said "If you want to see them again, you'd better start walking away."

The victim turned and began walking away. The offender ran away in a different direction.

The robber was described as a black man about 18 years old, 5'6 and 150 pounds, black hair, a tear-drop tattoo on his face, wearing a black hoodie and black skull cap.


* * *

Burglars broke through the side window of a garage near 51st and Rutherford and stole a snow thrower, a mountain bike and a tool box with tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 30-year-old man, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 7.


* * *

Burglars broke through the back door of a home near 85th and Komensky and stole a TV, a Sony PlayStation 3 video game console and 15 games, and about $7,000 worth of jewelry that included Bill Blass watches.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 47-year-old woman, at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 7.


* * *

Burglars broke into the side door of a home near 63rd and Natoma and stole a laptop computer, assorted jewelry and several bottles of cologne.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 46-year-old man, at 10:30 p.m. Friday, November 9.


* * *

A 23-year-old Vittum Park man told police he was shot by gangbangers as he walked his cousin's dog in an alley near 64th Place and Homan at 10:15 p.m. Saturday, November 10.

The victim said he was approached by gang members in a vehicle who asked him if he was in a particular gang. He said he responded by saying "No, I'm a Mexican"; and one of the others said "You must be something" and then fired a small black pistol at least twice, hitting the victim.

The victim was transported to Holy Cross Hospital by a friend.

The shooter was described as a white Hispanic man 18-21 years old, 5'4 to 5'6, bald hair style, wearing a white t-shirt.


* * *

Two armed thugs kicked in an apartment door near 52nd and Kilbourn, woke up a 21-year-old man and demanded to know where his stash of cash and cocaine was.

The incident occurred at 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 9. The victim told police that when he told them he didn't know what they were talking about, they hit him in the back of the head with their pistols and then cut open his mattress and several items of furniture.

After failing to find what they were looking for, the victim said the pair tied him up with shoelaces and fled.

The victim claimed that he untied himself and called 911.


* * *

Burglars forced open the overhead door of a garage near 48th and Tripp and stole several auto repair and welding tools, auto tires and a GPS unit.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 51-year-old man, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 10.


* * *

Burglars pushed in the top panel of the overhead door of a garage near 62nd and Kolin, but failed to get inside.

The attempted burglary was discovered by the victim, a 58-year-old man from suburban Homer Glen, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 10. The victim told police that the garage had been burglarized a week before.


* * *

A 17-year-old Archer Heights boy told police that that he was robbed as he walked home from a store, in an alley near 47th and Tripp, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 8.

The boy said that a dark-colored car (possibly a Pontiac Firebird) pulled up, and four gangbangers got out. They began to choke and punch the victim. One reportedly put a gun to the back of his head and said "We will kill you and anyone in your family."

They then took his book bag (which contained assorted papers, about $50 worth of groceries and $30 cash) and fled.

The boy's mother told police that his cousin was killed by gang members about a year ago.


* * *

A 60-year-old woman walking near 52nd and Kilpatrick told police that a thug ran up from behind, hit her on the head, knocked her down, grabbed her purse and ran away.

The incident occurred at 9:20 p.m. Thursday, November 8. The victim described her assailant as a white man about 20 years old, 5'4 and 140 pounds, light complexion, wearing a red jacket and a red skull cap with white lettering. Her purse contained $80 cash.


* * *


Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 812 (see map above), come to St. Symphorosa School (gymnasium) at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 14. 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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