Southwest Side gardeners are invited to attend the next meeting of the Midway Garden Society, set for 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 29 at the Clearing Branch Library.
All members (and other Southwest Side gardeners) are invited to bring up to three plants and participate in the group's annual plant exchange. The Society meets monthly, hosts guest speakers, conducts plant exchanges, publishes a newsletter, stages an annual Urban Garden Walk every summer, and works to make the Midway area a more beautiful and peaceful place by encouraging gardening among people of all ages.
The Archer Heights Civic Association hosted 14th Ward
Alderman Edward M. Burke at their May meeting. The Southwest Chicago Post was there to record his comments and the question-and-answer session that followed.
We just spotted this on the CHA website. Interestingly, they do not appear to have notified any neighborhood news media about this. If you have ideas on what should be built (or not) at the vacant LeClaire Courts site, here is your chance to contribute to the discussion.
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 manager of the Family Dollar store at 8320 South Pulaski was robbed of more than $3,700 in the parking lot of the business. The crime occurred at 1:40 p.m. Saturday, May 11. The victim, a 56-year-old West Lawn
8320 South Pulaski
man, was walking to his car with two days' worth of store receipts in a bag hidden under his jacket. He was on his way to deposit the proceeds at a bank. Suddenly, a thug walked up from behind, captured him in a bear hug and said "Be cool. Give it up." The criminal then started a pat-down of the victim, resulting in a hand-to-hand struggle for the money bag. The crook grabbed the bag and ran away east. An 18-year-old Scottsdale man who was locking his bicycle nearby told police he witnessed the strong-arm robbery. Both he and the store cashier, a 23-year-old woman from Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side, told police they saw the offender pacing in front of the store before the crime occurred. The robber is described as a black man age 22-30, 5'11 and 180 pounds, with black dreadlocks.
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Three burglars forced open the back door of the Aaron's furniture and electronics store at
8013 South Cicero
8013 South Cicero and stole two TVs. The crime was discovered by a 35-year-old assistant manager when he arrived for work at 7:12 a.m. Friday, May 10 and noticed that the burglar alarm had been tripped and the back door was damaged. Police said they are reviewing surveillance video that shows three black men age 30 and 5'8 to 6'0 committing the crime and using more than one vehicle. Something or someone apparently interrupted the crime, because a third TV that was stolen was left in the parking lot behind the store.
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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 834 (see map), come to Bogan High School at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 6. 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 27-year-old Hearst area man who went to a nearby gas station to put air in his car's tires was robbed at gunpoint. The crime occurred at 9:40 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at the Mobil station at 4629 South
4629 South Cicero
Cicero. The victim walked into the gas station to get quarters for the air pump. When he did, he pulled out a wad of dollars bills. Once outside, the man who had been behind him in line pulled a blue steel handgun and reportedly said "Let me get that money you were flashing." The victim told police that he pleaded with the man not to rob him, and the robber asked "You think I'm kidding?" The victim said that he then started to hand over his wad of $60 cash. When the robber lowered his gun, the victim lunged and grabbed at the weapon. In the struggle, the victim was shot in the upper right thigh. He dropped the cash, and the thug picked it up and ran south on Cicero. The victim's cousin drove him to MacNeal Hospital. Police said they interviewed the victim at the hospital, but that he became uncooperative and left before detectives arrived. The robber is described as a black man age 28-30, 6'1 to 6'3 and 180-190 pounds, light complexion, wearing a black baseball cap, white t-shirt and black pants.
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Burglars smashed through the front window of Buy & Cell Mobile, 4727 South Cicero, and
4727 South Cicero
stole eight cell phones from a display case. The crime was discovered by a clerk at 9:20 a.m. Friday, May 10. Police said they found droplets of blood at the scene. The store was the site of a similar smash-and-grab burglary on December 5.
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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 815 or 821 (see map), come to St. Bruno School (south entrance) at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 5. 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 24-year-old Englewood woman told police she was thrown into a blue van and robbed of $600 moments after she left the AT&T store at Ford City, 7601 South Cicero. She said that the crime occurred at about 11:45 a.m. Friday, May 10, just after she had left
7601 South Cicero
the store after being denied an account by AT&T staff. She said that a man in the van looked at her and said "Do you want to make a hundred dollars? And it ain't illegal." She told police that after she was robbed, she was pushed out of the van, which then sped away. She described the two individuals in the van as black men age 20-27, 5'5 and 120.
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Burglars forced open the back door of a home near 86th and Kedvale and stole a TV, an iPad, assorted jewelry and about $500 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 32-year-old man, when he came home at 12:15 p.m. Friday, May 10 and found the rooms ransacked.
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Burglars kicked in the back door of a home near 53rd and Kostner and stole two computers, an iPad, a TV, a camera and a set of headphones. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 50-year-old man, at 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 10.
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Two thugs robbed a 26-year-old West Lawn man in the gangway of his home near 72nd and Millard. The crime occurred at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, May 9. The man was walking home when the pair accosted him in the gangway, went through his pockets, hit him in the side of the head with a dark revolver and fled on foot with his cell phone. The man's father drove him to Holy Cross Hospital for treatment of a minor injury, police said. The robbers are described as black men age 17-20, 5'9 and 160 pounds with black hair.
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Burglars kicked in the side door of a home near 60th and Kolmar and stole two wedding
rings worth a total of $2,000. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 70-year-old woman, when she came home at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9 to find her house ransacked.
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Burglars entered a garage near 57th Place and Karlov and stole two boxes containing welding equipment. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 32-year-old woman, at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 6; although she did not report it to police until over 48 hours later.
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Do you live in Archer Heights and want to help build a safer and stronger community? Please consider joining the neighborhood watch committee of the Archer Heights Civic Association. Easy work, minimal time commitment. Great chance to meet like-minded neighbors who care about the neighborhood, just as you do! For full details, attend the next AHCA meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 at the UNO Veterans Memorial Campus, 47th and Kildare, or call the AHCA at (773) 843-2232.
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 threw a large rock through the front glass door of Masters Pancake House, 5265 South Cicero, and stole about $3,000 worth of steak, sausage, bacon and chicken.
5265 South Cicero
The crime was discovered by a Vittum Park woman who drove by at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 30 and saw the break-in. The restaurant's owner told police that the meat had been delivered just the day before, and that the criminals had fled out the back door. Detectives were said to be reviewing surveillance video.
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Do you live in Archer Heights and want to help build a safer and stronger community? Please consider joining the neighborhood watch committee of the Archer Heights Civic Association. Easy work, minimal time commitment. Great chance to meet like-minded neighbors who care about the neighborhood, just as you do! For full details, attend the next AHCA meeting, set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 at the UNO Veterans Memorial Campus, 47th and Kildare, or call the AHCA at (773) 843-2232
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Burglars pried open the overhead door of a garage near 68th and Keeler and stole a radio boombox and two tool boxes filled with hand tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 30-year-old man, at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 30.
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Burglars removed a padlock on the door of an attic near 49th and Kedvale and stole a PlayStation 3 video game console and a Cricket computer tablet. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 40 year-old woman who lives on the first floor of the building, at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30. She told police that she rents the attic for storage and was leading another tenant of the building to the attic to retrieve some of her belongings, when she made the discovery.
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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 St. Symphorosa School at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 8. 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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Burglars broke the lock off the service door of a garage near 55th and Springfield and stole a bicycle. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 42-year-old man, at noon Monday, April 29.
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A 23-year-old man told police that a gangbanger attacked him and slashed at his sweatshirt while he was in front of his home near 54th and Linder. The attack reportedly occurred at about 11:45 p.m. Monday, April 29. The man said that two people---an 18-year-old gangbanger he knows and an unknown white woman age 20-25---pulled up in a dark blue Ford Explorer. The man exited the vehicle and reportedly asked the victim if he was in a gang. The victim reportedly said he is not, and the woman in the vehicle then reportedly told the offender to cut the victim. At that point, the victim told police, the offender began slashing at his sweatshirt, cutting it. When the victim's mother came outside, the offender reportedly fled into the vehicle and sped away with his accomplice. The victim told police approximately where he thinks the male offender lives (the vicinity of 53rd and Monitor). The CPD incident report said the offenders are still at large.
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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 Vittum Park at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 9. 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 22-year-old West Elsdon man told police he was robbed by two thugs as he rode his bike on a sidewalk near 55th and Kildare. The crime occurred at 9:15 p.m. Monday, April 29. The offenders reportedly stopped the victim. The victim said that one hit him in the head with a pinch bar and the other held his hand to his waist, implying he had a weapon, as he said "I have a gun. Give me your money." The victim said he handed over $20 cash, and the offenders fled south on foot. They are described as white Hispanic boys/men age 16-20. One about 5'5 and 125 pounds; the other 5'10 and 150 pounds. Both have brown eyes, short black hair, medium complexion. The shorter offender has eyebrow piercings.
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Burglars pried open the side door of a home near 77th and Komensky and stole a PlayStation 3 video game console and games, an iPad and assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman, at noon Monday, April 29, when she came home from visiting friends and saw her home ransacked.
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Burglars broke into the side door of a house near 52nd and Kenneth and stole two TVs and a lockbox with passports and other personal papers. The crime was discovered by the victim's aunt, a 54-year-old woman, who was in the basement when the crime occurred at about noon Monday, April 29. She heard the commotion on the main floor and telephoned her niece, a 32-year-old woman, who was at work at the time. The victim then called 911 to report the crime.
Update: CPD has announced "Subject located safe and is well at home." Here is a bulletin released by Chicago Police in the early morning hours. Frequents the McDonald's and Burger King on Pulaski in Archer Heights/West Elsdon. If you have any relevant information to share with CPD, please do.
Here is a bulletin released by Chicago Police at 10:52 p.m. Last seen in Archer Heights near 51st and Kolin. If you have any relevant information to share with CPD, please do.