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 24-year-old Gage Park man was robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Walgreens at 3959 West 47th Street at 8:13 p.m. Monday, November 11.

The victim told police that a thug put a gun to his head and ordered him to throw his wallet on

the seat of his 2004 Chevy Trailblazer and start the engine. The victim did as he was told, and the criminal jumped in and sped away east on 47th Street.

The robber is described as a white man age 45-50, 5'7 and 150-165 pounds, wearing a black skull cap and a dark blue hoody.

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In what police are calling a gang-related incident, a 33-year-old Oak Lawn man received a graze wound to the forehead when he was shot by a gangbanger near 65th Place and Hamlin.

The victim and another man, a 28-year-old West Lawn man, were reportedly sitting in a parked vehicle at 10:32 p.m. Monday, November 18 when a thug walked up, said a gang slogan and fired as many as five rounds into the vehicle before fleeing on foot, north through an empty lot and then east down an alley.

The victim was transported by CFD ambulance to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was treated for his injury. The shooter is described as a white Hispanic man age 18-25, 5'7 and 170 pounds, wearing a black skull cap, a gray hoodie and black sweatpants.

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Two thugs robbed a 54-year-old West Lawn man at knifepoint as he walked down a sidewalk near 59th Place and Lawndale. The crime occurred at about 2:00 a.m. Saturday, November 16. The victim told police he was walking home from work when the robbers approached him on foot, brandished a pocket knife and ordered him, in Spanish, into a nearby yard.

The man complied and was robbed of his wallet, paycheck, cell phone and backpack. The criminals fled on foot and are described as white Hispanic men--one 5'10 and 160 pounds, the other 5'7 and 150 pounds. Both have short black hair, and one had a dark complexion, the victim told police.

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Three robbers stole a cell phone from a 26-year-old man as he walked near 50^th and Keeler,

on his way home after getting off at the CTA Orange Line stop at Pulaski at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 13. The victim told police that one of the three was carrying a crowbar, and that in a struggle for the weapon, the other two assailants punched him in the face and body.

The trio fled east in Archer in a vehicle, according to the victim. One of three is described as a white Hispanic man age 20-22, 5’5 to 5’7 and 150-165 pounds.

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Two men tried but failed to rob a mailman as he walked down a sidewalk near 77^th and Kilbourn at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18. The Postal Service employee, a 22-year-old man, said the two assailants demanded his money. When he instead tried to grab his canister of pepper spray, a struggled ensued and the mailman was knocked to the ground.

The offenders then gave up and fled in a dark-colored, four door vehicle, which sped south on Kilbourn and then west on 79th Street. The victim described one as a black man 6’0 to 6’2 and 180-190 pounds, and the other as a white Hispanic man 5’5 to 5’7 and 150-160 pounds. Both had short black hair.

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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, 

November 26. 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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A pair of armed thugs robbed a 65-year-old West Lawn man as he walked outside his home near 60th Place and Springfield at about 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 13. The man told police that the robbers were dressed in dark-colored mechanic uniforms.

They approached on foot, and one brandished a pistol as he said "Give me your money" and the other said "Just shoot this motherf~cker." The victim surrendered his wallet, which he said contained his passport and $900 cash. The offenders fled on foot and are described as black men age 30-35, 5'9 and 150 pounds, dark complexions.

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Burglars forced open the back window of an apartment building near 72nd and Springfield and stole two laptop computers, assorted jewelry, a wallet, a cell phone and $2,000 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 45-year-old man, when he came home at 9:15 a.m. Monday, November 11.

A 20-year-old woman living in the basement apartment told police that she had heard knocking at the door earlier in the day, but had not answered because she was not expecting anyone. Later she heard someone walking around in the first-floor apartment about her, and the victim's dog barking, but she mistakenly assumed it was the victim's son.

The woman realized there was a crime being committed when she saw the home invader enter her bedroom. Upon seeing her, the criminal fled. Later, a box of take-out chicken was found in the first-floor unit. A piece was missing and was believed to be used to silence the dog. No description of the offenders was available.

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Burglars forced open the back door of a home near 58th and Tripp and stole  TV, an iPad and a PlayStation video game console. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 31-year-old woman, when she came home from work at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, November 13 and found her home ransacked.

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Burglars opened a rear window of a home near 47th and Ridgeway and stole $2,700 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 43-year-old woman, when she arrived home at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 12. Police noted that a number of other valuables in the home were untouched.

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Burglars entered a basement apartment near 62^nd and Narragansett and stole two TVs, a wedding band and other assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 23-year-old woman, when she came home from work at 7:00 p.m. Monday, November 18.

There was no sign of forced entry, according to police, and the victim said all doors and windows were locked.

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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 59^th and Melvina and stole a Ray-Vac pool vacuum. The crime was discovered by the victim at about 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 13.

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Burglars forced open the rear door of a home near 51^st and Lawler and stole assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by the victims, a 31-year-old woman and her husband, when they came home at 8:30 p.m. Monday, November 18 and saw lights on that they had not left on.

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Burglars forced open a basement window of a home near 62^nd and Kildare and stole a TV, two tablet computers, two rings and $1,500 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, an 18-year-old woman, at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, November 14 and saw the bedrooms ransacked.

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Burglars forced open the back door of a group home for people with developmental disabilities near 86th and Kilbourn and stole a TV. The crime was committed while staff and residents were away on a mid-day outing, police said, and was discovered at 2:30 p.m. Friday, November 15 when they returned.

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Burglars entered a house near 54th and Harding and stole about $600 in coins and about $3,000 worth of assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 47-year-old woman, when she came home from work at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 15. There was no sign of forced entry, police said.

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