Monday, November 19, 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 19-year-old cashier at the Garfield Ridge McDonald's---who police say is an admitted gangbanger---was arrested after he allegedly threw a 12-ounce cup of hot coffee at a 79-year-old customer.

Jerry "Jay" Minard of 63rd Place and Major was charged with misdemeanor battery.


6720 West Archer

According to police, the incident occurred at 9:50 a.m. Friday, November 16 at the McDonald's at 6720 West Archer. Minard and the elderly customer reportedly became involved in an argument at the front counter when Minard allegedly threw the coffee at the senior citizen. The coffee hit the man in the chest and spilled down his clothes, reportedly causing a minor burn to his right leg. A Chicago Fire Department ambulance responded, but the man refused treatment.

Minard reportedly explained the situation by saying, "I got tired of him yelling at me, so I launched the coffee at him."

The Southwest Chicago Post has requested comment from McDonald's corporate officials in Oak Brook. A response has not been received yet.


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Three men were arrested Thursday, November 15 and charged in connection with the burglary of a home in West Lawn.


Saul Becerra-Lopez
Saul Becerra-Lopez, 22, of 47th and Fairfield; Jonathan Perez, 20, of 21st and Harding; and Juan Guzman, 18, of 56th and Kilbourn, were charged with burglary. Police said that all three are admitted gangbangers.

Police on a covert surveillance mission said their suspicions was aroused when they saw a vehicle park near the end of an alley and then suddenly speed down the alley. Police followed and reportedly saw several men fleeing from a yard near 65th Place and Lawndale. Units pursued and curbed the vehicle near 63rd Place and Springfield.


Jonathan Perez
Police said they found a screwdriver on Perez; and when they went back to the home where the men were observed fleeing, they found damage to a door.

They also found a silver metal watch and a can of coins on the three men.


Juan Guzman
The homeowner was contacted by police and said the coins and watch are his, and the three were arrested and charged.

In a routine check, police say they discovered that Guzman is a convicted burglar currently on probation.


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David Gutierrez



Two Brighton Park men were arrested at 2:05 a.m. Friday, November 16 after they allegedly stole several items from an unlocked car parked on the 5400 block of south Nordica.

David Gutierrez, 37 and Rudy Gutierrez, 20---both of Pershing and Albany---were charged with theft.

A 21-year-old man living on the block said he spotted the two walking up and down the block, peering into parked vehicles and checking door locks. The man said that the two ran away south toward Archer when they saw him watching them.


Rudy Gutierrez
He then called police, who spotted the pair standing on a corner at Archer and Sayre. They matched the description given by the caller. Police searched them and found a radar detector, a power inverter, a fanny pack with electric chargers, and a 2012 calendar inscribed with a specific address on the 5400 block of south Nordica.

Police brought the two back to the block, where they were positively identified by the witness.

Police said they saw a parked car with its driver-side door ajar and the glove compartment contents spilled onto the passenger seat. They contacted the owner, who said the items found on the two Gutierrez men are his.


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An 18-year-old Brighton Park man and a 17-year-old Archer Heights boy were robbed of their cell phones by two thugs at 6:40 p.m. Saturday, November 17 on the sidewalk in front of a funeral home at 5088 South Archer.

The victims told police that one of criminals said "I don't want to blast you. Give me everything you got." After taking the cell phones, the offenders fled on foot.

One of the robbers was described as a white Hispanic boy age 17, 5'10 to 6'0 and 200 pounds, shaved hair style, acne-scarred face, light complexion, wearing a gray hoodie. The other was described as a white Hispanic boy age 17, 5'4 and 130 pounds, dark complexion, wearing a black jacket and a black baseball cap with a red brim.


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Quick thinking thwarted the attempted robbery of a 17-year-old Archer Heights boy and a 17-year-old West Lawn boy at 4:22 p.m. Friday, November 16.

The boys were walking north near 50th and Kedvale when two criminals approached. One said "Give me whatever you have of value. Give me your jackets, your phones; and don't make me shoot you, 'cause I have a gun."

The boys responded by pretending they had reached their home---quickly walking up the steps of the nearest house and ringing the doorbell. When the homeowner answered and opened the door, the two thugs ran away south, then west through an alley.

The would-be robbers were described as white Hispanic males ages 16-18, one 5'9 to 5'10 and 200-210 pounds, brown eyes, black hair, fair complexion, wearing a gray hoodie; the other 5'5 to 5'7 and 140-160 pounds, olive complexion.


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A 67-year-old West Lawn man walking home was robbed of $300 cash he had just withdrawn from an ATM at the 7-Eleven at 4500 West 63rd Street.

The crime occurred at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 16 at 61st and Tripp. Two crooks snuck up behind him, hit him on the back of the head with a blunt object, knocked him to the ground, grabbed his wallet and fled.

A witness told police she saw the pair jump into a brown, four-door vehicle and speed away. The two were described only as black men hearing dark clothing and hoods.


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A 48-year-old Hometown man raking leaves at a house near 78th and Knox was robbed at gunpoint by two thugs at 11:09 a.m. Wednesday, November 14.

They made off with his wallet, which contained his ID, credit cards, and $7 cash.

The robbers were described as black men ages 18-22, 6'0 and 170 pounds.


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Burglars broke through the rear door of a garage near 53rd and Melvina and stole a lawn mower and an air compressor.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 45-year-old woman, at 8:25 a.m. Friday, November 16 when a call from a security company woke her up and told her that the garage alarm had been triggered.


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Burglars entered the side door of a garage near 62nd and Monitor and stole assorted power tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 29-year-old man, at 4:45 a.m. Thursday, November 15 when he was alerted by a security company that his garage alarm had been triggered.

The victim did not alert police until 13 hours later---explaining that he had to leave for work.


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Burglars entered a home near 77th Place and Keeler and stole a laptop computer, an iPhone, $20 cash, assorted jewelry, and an estimated $1,000 worth of wrapped Christmas presents.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 65-year-old man, at 10:45 a.m. Friday, November 16. Both the front door and a rear basement door were open. There was no sign of forced entry, according to police.


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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 58th and Mason and stole numerous power tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 39-year-old man, at 1:00 p.m. Friday, November 16.


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Burglars forced open the service door of a garage near 54th and Massasoit and stole about a dozen power tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 37-year-old man, at 5:10 a.m. Thursday, November 15.


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Burglars pried open the side door of a home near 77th and Kenton and stole a TV, three gold rings, a watch, a jewelry box with assorted jewelry, and $300 cash.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 54-year-old woman, when she returned home at 12:10 p.m. Thursday, November 15.


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An alarm apparently scared off criminals attempting to burglarize a garage near 66th and Kostner at 11:56 a.m. Thursday, November 15.

The victim, a 57-year-old man, told police that nothing was stolen; but the rear door was damaged.


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Burglars entered the front window of a home near 82nd and Scottsdale and stole two TVs and a Kindle.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 68-year-old man at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, November 15, when he returned home from running errands. He told police that he had left his front door unlocked because he did not plan to be gone long, and that he thought his dogs would scare away intruders.


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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 811 (see map above), come to Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 20. 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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3 comments:

  1. I am not condoning the gangbanger throwing hot coffee on an old guy, but I have seen old people in that Mcdonalds verbally abuse the employees

    ReplyDelete
  2. Point is some gang banger threw coffee at a senior citizen does not matter what the argument was about.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're kidding, right?

    ReplyDelete