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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Burglars used a brick to smash a side window of the Unlimited Wireless store at 5018 South Pulaski, crawl inside and steal a 42-inch TV.

5018 South Pulaski

The crime was reported to police at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, January 10 by the owner, about six hours after it occurred.

The crime is at the least the seventh such smash-and-grab burglary in which a TV was stolen from a business on or near Archer in recent months. (Monday, December 31 at Pieza Automotive, 5344 South Archer; Tuesday, December 25 at the Doma shipping store, 6287 South Archer; Thursday, December 20 at Coler Chiropractic, 6657 West Archer; Tuesday, December 18 at Dazzling Dentistry, 6941 West Archer; Sunday, May 13, at Smile Dental Care, 7011 West Archer; and Monday, April 2, at Stan's Barber Shop, 6656 West Archer.)

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A 34-year-old West Side woman told police she was assaulted by a man waving a handgun in a parking lot near 51st and Keeler.

The woman said at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, January 15 she was in a nearby building and heard her car alarm going off. She went outside to investigate and saw a man reaching his arm in her vehicle (a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero). When she asked "What are you doing to my car?" the man reportedly waved a black-and-silver hand gun and said "Stay the f~ck back before you get one."

The man then got in her car and drove away. When she reported the incident over two hours later to 11th District police on the West Side, police learned the car had been repossessed.

She described the repo man as white Hispanic age 20-28, 5'7 to 5'9 and 150-165 pounds, brown eyes, brown hair, light complexion, wearing a black hoody.

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Burglars climbed atop an air conditioning unit in a back yard near 48th and Laporte, cut the screen on a storm window of the house, broke one pane of a double-paned window, but then stopped and fled before gaining access to the home.

The attempted burglary was discovered by the victim, a 29-year-old woman, at 8:00 a.m. Monday, January 14. Police found a brick on the ground, underneath the broken window.

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Burglars tried but failed to force open the service door of a garage near 64th and Austin.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 64-year-old man, at 4:30 a.m. Monday, January 14. He told police that the door jamb is strongly reinforced.

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Burglars broke in the service door of a garage near 45th and Karlov and stole eight vehicle tires and rims, a car stereo and speakers, assorted car parts and assorted tools.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 26-year-old man, at 4:30 p.m. Monday, January 14. The burglars also vandalized two cars inside the garage---and Audi TT convertible and a Volkswagen Toureg. The victim also told police that the automatic garage door opener was broken.

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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 813 or 833 (see map), come to West Lawn Park at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 22. 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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