Tuesday, November 27, 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 alert neighbor who called 911 and an eagle-eyed police sergeant who took swift action foiled a quartet of burglars just minutes after they hit a home near 58th and Neva.

Arrested were four Brighton Park men: Ruben Diosdado, 34, of 45th and Washtenaw; Ricardo Rodriguez, 21, of 45th and Campbell; Eliodoro Mundo, 22, of 46th and Talman; and Jorge Mundo, 23, of 46th and Talman. Police said that Rodriguez is an admitted gangbanger.
Ruben Diosdado

The crime occurred at 9:14 a.m. Monday, November 26. A 67-year-old neighbor of the victim told police that he saw a black Ford van pull up to the victim's home. Two men got out and rang the doorbell of the home. When there was no answer (the victim---a 49-year-old woman---was not home), the van pulled into the driveway. His suspicion aroused, the neighbor called police.

The witness told police that several minutes later, the van pulled out of the driveway and headed north on Neva.
Ricardo Rodriguez

A CPD sergeant who was nearby spotted a vehicle matching the description and curbed it in front of 5515 South Harlem. Inside the van in plain view, according to police, were two TVs, a microwave oven and pillow cases with items inside.

As police placed the four men inside the van in custody, one reportedly admitted guilt and expressed astonishment at the swift and effective police work by saying "F~ck man, how did you catch us? We were already gone and thought we were home."
Eliodoro Mundo

Police took the van back to 58th and Neva, where the witness positively identified it as the one he saw. The vehicle, owned by Diosdado, was then impounded by police.

The four suspects were taken to the CPD Eighth District Station for processing. While there, one of the four allegedly explained the situation by saying "We were just taking this stuff for money---to pay the rent, man."
Jorge Mundo

The victim was located and arrived at the police station---where she identified the recovered goods as hers. They included two TVs, a microwave oven, a jewelry box with assorted jewelry, a tin box with assorted jewelry, three sweatshirts, and a small assortment of foreign currency.

According to police, the four men are scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court Branch 48-4, 155 West 51st Street, at 1:00 p.m. Monday, December 3.


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A 45-year-old Clarendon Hills man and a blond-haired female prostitute in a second-floor room at the Sportsman's Inn, 4501 South Cicero, were interrupted by an armed robber at 12:45 a.m. Monday, November 26.
4501 South Cicero

The thug pointed a pistol at the man and said "Be cool or I'll f~ckin' kill you." He then went through the man's pockets and stole a cell phone and a wallet (which contained $65 cash, a driver's license, credit/debit cards and a FOID card).

Not satisfied with his take, the robber ordered the man out of the room and into the victim's car, a 2006 Dodge Stratus, and ordered him to drive to an ATM and withdraw cash.

The victim complied and handed over an additional $260. He was then forced out of his car at an alley near 47th and Keating; the thug drove away. The victim then ran to the Subway sandwich shop at 4735 South Cicero and called 911.

The car was later recovered by police in front of 4622 South Leamington.

The CPD incident report did not say if anything was stolen from the prostitute.

The robber was described as a black man age 20, 5'7 and 200 pounds, short black hair, dark complexion, wearing a black hooded jacket.


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A crook snatched the cash register from the Little Caesars Pizza at 5601 South Harlem and fled east on 56th Street.
5601 South Harlem

The crime occurred at 6:55 p.m. Sunday, November 25, according police. Restaurant management said there was about $50-$70 cash in the register.

Two witnesses--an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man---told police they think the thief may have had an accomplice acting as a lookout.

They described the thief as a white man age 18-21, 5'10 to 6'0 and 150-170 pounds, light complexion, wearing a black hoodie and black pants.


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A 40-year-old Brighton Park woman walking near 47th and Cicero at 12:45 a.m. Monday, November 26 told police that she was robbed by a criminal who appeared to have a gun or other weapon under his sweater.

The crook took her purse, removed the contents ($880 cash, a credit card, and a Puerto Rican ID card), slammed the purse to the ground and fled.

She described him as a white man 25-35 years old, 5'5, short black hair, light complexion, wearing a black sweater.


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Three thugs---two men and a woman---snatched the purse of a 50-year-old Lemont woman as she walked toward her car in the parking lot of Shop & Save Market, 5829 South Archer.


5829 South Archer
The strong-arm robbery occurred at about 8:00 a.m. Friday, November 23. The female robber snatched the purse away from the victim and jumped into a getaway vehicle---a black four-door vehicle. The victim chased and jumped into the back seat of the vehicle, fighting unsuccessfully to get her purse back. According to police, the offenders pushed the victim out of the vehicle while it was moving.

The black vehicle then sped away north on Linder. The female robber then jumped into a blue SUV that sped away west on Archer.

The victim described the female robber as a white woman age 20-25, 5'3 and 120 pounds, medium length strawberry blond hair, fair complexion. There was no description provided of the two men.

In the victim's purse was $205 cash, four credit cards and IDs.

Police said they planned to review Shop & Save surveillance video.


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A 20-year-old woman from Cicero was beaten and robbed in a parking lot in Clearing at 6:15 a.m. Thursday, November 22.


5650 West 63rd Street
The woman told police that she had just left a party after fighting with her boyfriend. She walked down 63rd Street confused because she was unfamiliar with the area. As she began to walk through a narrow parking lot at 5650 West 63rd Street (immediately west of the vacant storefront that was Don Wan Florist), she was approached by a criminal who asked "Hey, what are you doing?" He then punched her in the nose, knocked her to the ground, snatched her purse and ran away south.

In her purse were a wallet, $45 cash and assorted other items.

Although the victim suffered a bloody nose and scratches to her back, she refused medical attention, police said.

She described the attacker as a white man age 19-22, 5'8 to 5'9 and 140-150 pounds, green eyes, blond hair, light complexion, wearing a blue hoodie with yellow writing and dark blue jeans.


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A 30-year-old Vittum Park man and a 43-year-old Back of the Yards man were beaten by a cluster of 15 thugs at the corner of 47th and Laporte at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, November 24.

The men told police they were leaving a house near the corner when they saw the group surrounding a 40-year-old man. When the pair rushed over to defend the man surrounded, they were beaten by the group with punches, kicks and an unknown blunt object.

After the group of attackers left, the two men were transported via ambulance to hospitals---one to MacNeal, the other to Mount Sinai.

They described the thugs as black men in their early 20s. No further details were given.


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A Scottsdale man was robbed at gunpoint as he walked west near 83rd and Keeler at 12:25 a.m. Saturday, November 24.

He told police that four men in a black, four-door Chevy Cavalier (with a dented passenger-side front) pulled up. One man jumped out, brandished a pistol and said "Give me your stuff."

The victim handed over his belongings; and then the robber jumped back in the car, which sped away east on 83rd Street.

Stolen were a cell phone, an iPod and a wallet containing credit/debit cards, $80 cash and a Matricula card.

The four offenders were described as black men ages 20-25 years old. The gun man was described as 5'8 and 155 pounds, wearing a black jacket, black ski mask and blue jeans.


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Two burglars fled a home near 73rd and Ridgeway after an 18-year-old man and his dog fought back.

The crime occurred at about 1:50 p.m. Saturday, November 24.

When the 18-year-old heard the burglars in the home, he grabbed a kitchen knife and hid in a closet. A short time later, after several belongings had been stolen, the victim burst from the closet to confront the burglars. During the ensuing struggle, the victim's dog bit one of the crooks on the leg.

The criminals fled in an unknown direction.

Stolen were a PlayStation 3 video game console and an iPod.

The burglars were described as white Hispanic men age 27-35, both about 5'9 and 130 pounds, both with black hair (one with long hair, the other with a shaved hair style). The victim told police he has seen them in the neighborhood before and could identify them if he saw them again.


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A 29-year-old Chicago Lawn man told police he was robbed at knife point on the front porch of a house near 67th and Keeler at 8:17 p.m. Friday, November 23.

After robbing the victim, the criminal jumped into a white vehicle and sped away north.

Stolen were the victim's cell phone and wallet with $50 cash.

The victim described the offender only as a white Hispanic man age 20-23.


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A Back of the Yards man was robbed at gun point as he stood at a bus stop at 47th and Knox at 6:14 p.m. Wednesday, November 21.

Two criminals walked up to him, one asking "How much longer before the bus gets here?" and "What model cell phone do you have?" and "Can I borrow your phone?" The other thug then pulled a black pistol, and the victim surrendered his cell phone. The pair then ran away west toward Cicero Avenue.

The crooks were described as black men ages 18, both about 5'8 and 140 pounds. The gun man wore a white hoodie. The other wore a black jacket with a white star on the back and dark blue jeans.


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Burglars removed the window of a garage near 58th and Mobile, knocked down a ladder, stole three bicycles, opened the overhead door and fled.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 53-year-old woman, at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 21.


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Burglars entered the front door of an apartment near 59th and Lawndale and stole a TV, an Xbox video game console, assorted video games, a bracelet, and $400 cash.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 40-year-old woman, when she came home from work at noon Wednesday, November 21. There was no sign of forced entry, and all doors were locked; but the victim told police that the burglars may have used a spare key she routinely hid outside.


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Burglars broke a rear window of a home near 45th and Kilpatrick and stole a PlayStation 3 video game console, an Xbox video game console and assorted games, a portable Xbox, a laptop computer, a computer router, and two DirectTV boxes.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 31-year-old woman, at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 20 when she came home and saw the window shattered and the back door open.


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Burglars kicked through the bottom panel of the side door of a home near 59th and Rutherford, entered and stole a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a gold bracelet, a gold necklace, a pair of earrings and $1,600 cash.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 57-year-old man, when he came home at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 21.


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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 813 or Beat 833 (see map above), come to West Lawn Park at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 27. 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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