Berwyn Police Blotter
Friday, February 29, 2008
Consensus appears to be “he had it coming”
February 27, 2008, 8:57 PM
A woman parking her car to go to a nearby restaurant called police in alarm when she saw a man in a white T-shirt covered in blood, emerging from Family Liquors, 6434 Cermak. Arriving officers saw a pool of blood in the parkway in front of the tavern. They spoke with two female bartenders, both of whom appeared apprehensive about talking to police. When asked why police had not been called, the women said the bar’s phone does not make outgoing calls. Police tested the phone and found it was, indeed, impossible to use it to call 911. Inside the tavern, officers found blood on the floor, paper towels and Windex on the bar, and bloodstained paper towels in the trash can. It appeared to police that someone had tried to cover up the crime scene and conceal evidence. After talking to various witnesses, police learned a man from the 2100 block of Scoville had provoked an argument with one of the woman bartenders and other patrons. According to onlookers, the man grew irate, tore off his clothing down to his T-shirt, and began to flex his muscles and act in an aggressive manner. Two to three patrons defended the bartender, escorted the angry man outside, and beat him with their fists. Lack of cooperation hampered these interviews, as nobody was willing to say just who had beaten the man. Police checked patrons’ hands and clothing for blood, but found none.
Later, police found the beaten man in the lobby of his apartment building, where they found him to be intoxicated, uncooperative and downright obstinate. He said 4 or 5 men jumped him for no reason; he was treated at MacNeal Hospital.
Police also located a man near the scene who had bloody pants and a bloody sweatshirt. The man said he had been in the bar and witnessed the fight, but did not participate. He explained the blood got on his sweatshirt because it was lying on a barstool near the fight. But he would not comment on the bloodstained pants, nor offer any explanation for their condition.
Assault, battery • Drugs, alcohol, DUI • Fight/brawl/riot • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Writing is on the wall, and the tree
February 27, 2008, 11:06 AM
In the 3700 block of Clarence, someone wrote three letters on a tree.
11:07 AM
Symbols and letters intended to convey the greatness of one gang versus the lowliness of another, better-known gang, were placed on a brick garage in the 1900 block of East. More graffiti was found on a garage in the 2200 block of Highland.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Repaired, just not very well
February 27, 2008, 7:28 AM
A woman in the 2500 block of Ridgeland said she started-up her recently repaired Plymouth Voyager when she saw smoke pouring out of it. The woman turned off the car and went back into the house, but the fire did not stop. Fire department personnel forced open the garage to extinguish the fire, which completely burned the front of the van and also damaged an SUV parked next to it.
Domestic • Suspicious people, objects or events • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Woman reported for passing schoolbus with its stop-sign out
February 26, 2008, 4:28 PM
A schoolbus driver told police he was unloading a passenger in the 2300 block of Ridgeland when a southbound blue Impala illegally passed the bus. The driver was able to follow the Impala to the traintracks and got the plate number. The Impala was registered to a 21-year-old woman from the 3200 block of Clarence.
Traffic stops / accidents • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Police station graffiti, broken glass
February 26, 2008, 1:33 PM
Someone placed graffiti on the foyer ATM at the Berwyn police station, 6401 31st.
3:35 PM
In the 2500 block of Harvey, someone smashed a window of a 1999 Volkswagen.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Fake currency palmed off on PTA
February 26, 2008, 10:12 AM
The Pershing School PTA hosted a book fair in October of 2007. During the fair, a child from the 3500 block of Gunderson purchased a $13 book using a $100 bill. The bank sent the PTA a notice the $100 bill was a fake; detectives are investigating.
The screen was the easy part
February 26, 2008, 6:03 AM
A woman in the 1400 block of Harvey told police when she let the dog out, she noticed a back porch screen had been newly cut. The window, however, remained locked.
Batterer may have disliked being reminded of work
February 25, 2008, 9:42 PM
A young girl called police from the 1300 block of Grove to report her stepfather hitting her mom. The child let police in the house and told them the fight was going on in the basement. Police entered the basement only after the two pitbulls were secured in a bedroom. The found the couple; the woman had a swollen black eye and a towel held to her bleeding nose. The 36-year-old man spontaneously stated, “She doesn’t know when to stop talking.” The victim told police the argument was over proposed home improvement projects. She said the man—apparently in lieu of completing said projects—followed her around as she did housework, then punched her in the face. He was charged with domestic battery.
Assault, battery • Domestic • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Woman smells rat
February 25, 2008
8:51 PM
A woman in the 1600 block of Elmwood told police that a man approached her in her alley at 2:45 PM. He got out of a maroon minivan parked in the alley behind her house. The man told her he and his partner were called for a “rodent problem”. When the woman entered her yard to walk to her back door, the stranger followed and tried to shake hands with her. She refused; he left in the van, headed north.
Miscellaneous • Unusual, mysterious, odd or just weird • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Gang graffiti
February 25, 2008, 4:05 PM
The Cicero branch of a lesser-known street gang chose a garage in the 2300 block of East to deface with red marker. Another garage had lines drawn on it in the 2200 block of Grove.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Unlocked, running, keys inside … oh, you know the rest!
February 25, 2008, 8:32 AM
A 72-year-old Cicero man told police he left his Ford Taurus running and unlocked while he went inside the minimart in the 1500 block of Lombard. He came back out with a newspaper, but no car to put it in.
Home surveillance records hit-and-run
February 25, 2008, 7:18 AM
Police talking to the victim of a hit and run crash in the 1500 block of Kenilworth noticed green paint transfer on the damaged black Chevy Astro. The victim was able to get video of the crash, which showed a green Astro as the culprit; the recording also showed the van’s plate. Police located the offending van parked in the 1500 block of Clinton, with fresh damage, and had it towed.
The green Astro’s owner, a woman from the 1600 block of East, showed up later at the police station to ask why her van had been towed Police explained the situation. The woman then stated she had been at a party, and that any number of people might have been driving the van.
SUV window damaged
February 25, 2008, 5:44 PM
A softball-sized hole was found in the ruined window of a blue Chevy SUV parked in the 1900 block of Euclid.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Gang graffiti
February 24, 2008, 12:39 PM
Gang graffiti marred a garage in the 1900 block of Harvey.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Foreclosure crisis claims another victim
February 24, 2008, 9:57 AM
A woman from the 3500 block of East told police she entered her former home—now in foreclosure—in the 2400 block of East to retrieve some items. She found a broken window and numerous holes in drywall; she also discovered garbage, broken furniture and wall after wall—even the ceilings—on both floors covered with gang graffiti. The woman said she moved out on January 8th, but permitted her 18-year-old son to stay there. She admitted that during that time, he had multiple friends with possible gang affiliation in the home. In addition to the damage in the house, tools and bicycles were stolen from the garage.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • Miscellaneous • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink