Friday, February 3, 2017

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 the western section of the district. 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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Man shot and killed near 51st Street
A 20-year-old Ashburn man was shot in the “lower body” and killed near 51st and Ridgeway
Giovanni Lopez
just before 4:30 p.m. 
Monday, Jan. 23. Giovanni Lopez, of the 3600 block of West 81st Place, was pronounced dead at the scene, at 4:41 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. Area Central detectives are investigating, police added. A GoFundMe page has helped raise nearly $4,000 in 10 days for his family.







Basketball brawl ends with Kennedy player beaten
A 19-year-old West Elsdon man, a player on Kennedy High School’s basketball team, was beaten in the ribs with a tire iron shortly after a game at Hubbard High School, 62nd and Hamlin, at 7:52 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19. Witnesses told police that although the game was a rout, with the host Greyhounds defeating the Crusaders 98-59, the game was hard-fought, with one Hubbard player ejected from the game and the building. After the game, as the Kennedy team left the building, some of the players became separated from their teammates, witnesses said. Four teens, described by witnesses only as black and Hispanic males, exited a dark-colored Ford Explorer with a “Hispanic decal” on the back window and began arguing with the victim. A punch to the face dropped him, and one offender hit him repeatedly in the torso with a tire iron. They all fled in the vehicle west on 62nd Street, and the victim was transported by CFD ambulance to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he was initially listed in stable condition with possibly broken ribs.


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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 812 (see map), come to Clearing Branch Library at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 8 and attend your monthly CAPS meeting. 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.


Swung knife in pharmacy, police say
A 40-year-old Northwest Side man was arrested and charged with armed robbery after
Carlos Felix
he allegedly swung a pocket knife at a manager at CVS pharmacy, 6315 S. Pulaski, at 3:13 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19. Carlos Felix, of the 4800 block of West Armitage, allegedly stole a six-pack of Ivory bar soap and boarded a southbound CTA bus. Police curbed the bus near 75th Street, and Felix allegedly ditched the soap on the bus, got off quickly and dropped the knife on the street before fleeing. He was apprehended by police and was positively identified by CVS employees, according to the police report. Bond was set at $100,000, and Felix was due in court yesterday at 51st and Wentworth.


Boost Mobile robbed at knifepoint
The Boost Mobile store at 5643 W. 63rd St. was robbed at knifepoint at 2:10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16. A clerk told police that a masked man walked in, flashed a knife and said, “Give me the money.” The clerk put $273 in a white plastic bag and handed it to him. The robber then ran away east on 63rd Street. He was described as a white man about 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, with brown hair. He wore a dark blue jacket, gray sweatpants, and black gym shoes with white soles.


5643 West 63rd Street.

Curie student apprehended in sidewalk robbery, beating
A 16-year-old South Side boy--a student at Curie High School--was arrested after he and another juvenile punched and stole a cell phone from a 15-year-old girl walking home from school at 55th and Springfield at 3:18 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20. The girl told police that after the offenders snatched her phone away, she chased them west on 55h Street. When she caught up with them, one punched her in the head, knocking her to the ground. A passerby stopped and lent her a cell phone so she call 911 and her father, a 44-year-old man, who arrived on scene and apprehended the 16-year-old. The girl refused medical attention and had no visible injuries, police said.


garfieldridgenw.com
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Girl robbed on Pulaski sidewalk
A 16-year-old Scottsdale girl was robbed of her cell phone as she stood on a sidewalk in front of 6302 S. Pulaski at 4:50 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 19. The girl said that two boys or men walked and demanded her phone. When she replied that she did not have a phone, one of the robbers saw a bulge in her pocket and said, “I see it right there. Give it to me.” They then snatched it from her, pushed her to the pavement and ran away south. They were described as black males age 15-19, about 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds, with brown eyes and medium complexions. They both wore dark-colored pants. One wore a red hoody, and the other wore a blue hoody. The girl was not injured and refused medical attention, police said.

Repo men attacked as they take back Lexus
Two repo men—38 and 22 years of age—told police that four men in a silver Lexus chased them shortly after they repossessed a car from the 3600 block of West 81st Street at 2:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20. The offenders, described only as black men, pulled alongside a company car driven by the 38-year-old victim and smashed the rear passenger window with an aluminum baseball bat, shouting, “Give us the car back!” The victims fled south into Evergreen Park, where they flagged down a police officer. The offenders fled.


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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 814 (see map), come to the Vittum Park Field House at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, February 9 and attend your monthly CAPS meeting. 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.


* * *

Cops on gang patrol find knives on teen boys
A 17-year-old Archer Heights boy and a 16-year-old West Elsdon boy were charged with unlawful use of a weapon after police found each to be carrying a knife. Police on “gang suppression” patrol at 10:37 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 said they spotted the teens walking west on a sidewalk in front of 4902 W. 49th St., accompanied by two girls. Making a routine stop and a pat-down, police discovered and confiscated the weapons. They also learned that the 17-year-old was wanted on a warrant. Both were taken to the Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police Station for processing.

New homeowners victimized by burglars
Burglars broke into a vacant house in the 3800 block of West 66th Place and stole a furnace and a hot-water tank. The crime was discovered by the victims, a 39-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man--both of Chicago Lawn--at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 20. The victims told police they had recently bought the home but had not yet moved in, while a remodeler was installing appliances.


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Computers, cash, jewelry swiped from home
Burglars broke into a home in the 6600 block of West 59th Street and stole a computer, an iPad, two watches, two neck chains and $480 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 48-year-old man, at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20.

Side window is burglary entry point
Burglars pried open the side window of a home in the 6300 block of South Latrobe and stole assorted jewelry and $90 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 31-year-old woman, at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20.

TV, wallet missing after burglary
Burglars entered a home in the 5600 block of South Sayre and stole a TV and a wallet. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old man, at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18. The victim said he had left the side door of his house unlocked.




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