Sunday, February 15, 2015

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 North Side man was arrested and charged with burglary after he allegedly broke into a home
Burl Harbin Jr.
near 62nd Place and Springfield and stole more than $1,300 cash and two items of jewelry.


Burl Harbin Jr., 51, of the 1900 block of West Melrose, was apprehended by police at about 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 after a short foot chase.

Police responding to a "burglary in progress" call said they heard a 59-year-old woman screaming inside the home. Then they saw her standing in a doorway, hollering "Get him! He just broke into my house!"

After Harbin was apprehended, he was brought back to the home, where he was positively identified by the victim, police said.

A witness to the incident, another 59-year-old woman who lives in the same home, told police that she was in the front room, watching TV, when she heard a burglar breaking in the back door. She immediately ran outside the front door and called 911 on her cell phone. Moments later, the burglar broke into the home and reportedly accosted the other 59-year-old woman, who had been napping in her bedroom. The victim in bed told police that the burglar grabbed her, shook her and asked, "Where's the money?" before stealing the cash and jewelry and fleeing.

Harbin is currently held on $150,000 bond by the Cook County Department of Corrections. He is set to appear in Cook County Circuit Court Branch 48, 155 West 51st Street, on Friday, Feb. 20.


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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), come to Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 17. 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.





A burglar broke into a car parked near 58th and Massasoit, stole the garage door opener, opened the garage, and stole five bags of sand, two sets of tools, two ladders, a Weber grill, 20 patio blocks, and a snow blower--as well as a leather jacket and a pair of Gucci eyeglasses from the Nissan inside. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 32-year-old man, at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 12.

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Burglars kicked in the service door of a garage near 52nd and Knox and stole an estimated $4,000 worth of remodelers' tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old man, at 7 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14.


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Burglars entered a house near 58th and Parkside and stole assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by a 50-year-old woman, the daughter of the victim (a 70-year-old woman), at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14. The victim was on vacation in Hawaii, according to the police report.


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Burglars used a stolen garage door opener to enter a garage near 61st and Keeler and steal an air compressor, a car jack and a bag of tools. The crime occurred at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 and was interrupted by a neighbor who saw what was happening. The three burglars sped away in a tan minivan with a black stripe on the hatch back. The victim, a 50-year-old man, was at work at the time.


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A burglar pried open the service door of a garage near 58th and Central, but apparently stole nothing. The victim, a 29-year-old man, told police that his garage alarm was triggered at about 11:45 a.m.Wednesday, Feb. 11. He looked outside and saw a white vehicle in the alley. He mistakenly thought it was his father's car and figured the alarm was triggered on accident.

When no one came in the house, the victim went outside to investigate and saw the burglar in the garage. The victim, a licensed gun owner, drew his pistol and asked "Who are you?" of the offender, who then jumped in the vehicle (a white, older Pontiac Bonneville) and sped away south down the alley, then east on 58th Street and south on Central.

The offender is described as a Hispanic man age 30-35, 5-foot-6 and 210 pounds, with an olive complexion.


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A 44-year-old Clearing man told police that a friend, a 36-year-old man, stabbed him in the neck during an argument at a pool game at Pete & Mary's Lounge, 5908 W. 63rd St., at about 4:20 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. After the stabbing, the offender bolted from the bar and ran east on 63rd Street. The victim was taken by CFD ambulance to Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, where he was treated and released. He told police he would not sign a criminal complaint against his friend.

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A 28-year-old Archer Heights man told police that he was robbed in an alley behind 4700 S. Keating at 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. The victim said he was walking to a nearby currency exchange when a silver Chevy pulled up. The passenger in the vehicle asked, "What are you about? (a common question relating to gang affiliation)," and the victim replied, "Nothing." The passenger then jumped out, brandished a knife and hit the victim on the head with a pink, souvenir mini-baseball bat. The offender went through the victim's pockets and stole his cell phone before jumping back in the vehicle, which sped away east on 47th Street. The victim refused medical treatment.

The offenders were described only as Hispanic men about age 25.


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Two West Elsdon boys--ages 15 and 16--said they were robbed as they walked in an alley near 54th and Kenneth at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10. They said that two men approached, said "Give us everything you got!" and pushed them to the ground. The victims told police they tried to flee, but slipped and fell on the icy and snow.

The offenders went through their pockets and took a cell phone and a LINK card, before fleeing on foot. The victims ran home and told their mothers, who contacted police.

The robbers are described as black men age 20-30, between 5'8 and 6'0.


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Two Northwest Side men--ages 33 and 38--told police they were robbed at gunpoint as they warmed their truck that was parked near 60th and Sayre at 12:40 a.m. Monday, Feb. 9 The offenders stole a wallet, a watch and $550 cash from the two men before fleeing on foot. They are described as black men age 28-35.


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A burglar broke into a garage near 63rd and Kildare and stole a snow blower, a now shovel and an outboard motor. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 54-year-old man, when a burglar alarm was triggered at 1 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2--although it was not reported to police until six days later. The victim told police he saw the burglar but could only describe him as a man about 5-foot-5, with a bowed lower right leg.


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Burglars kicked in the back door of a home near 84th and Kostner and stole two watches. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 58-year-old man, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. The victim saw the offender fleeing and unsuccessfully chased him for a short dustance. The criminal is described as a white man age 30-39, about 5-foot-7 and 165 pounds, with medium-length brown hair and a light complexion.

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