Berwyn Police Blotter
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Trains so slow, people lose consciousness
February 20, 2008, morning rush hour
A caller told police a blue Chevy Aveo was stopped in the westbound lane of traffic on Stanley at Harlem. The driver was asleep at the wheel. Police woke 21-year-old Roderick Moss, of the first block of south Mason, Chicago, who said he “fell asleep waiting for the train to pass.” Moss was charged with obstructing traffic, and also with driving on a suspended license; the latter required his car to be impounded.
Traffic stops / accidents • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Great. Where can I get glass at this hour?
February 20, 2008, 5:45 AM
A blue Saturn sedan parked by a building in the 1900 block of Harlem was found with a shattered window.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Wanted by South DuPage
February 20, 2008, 4:51 AM
An officer patrolling north Berwyn happened to run the license plate of a silver Toyota Celica parked in the alley behind the 1900 block of Harlem, and learned there was an active arrest warrant out of South DuPage County for the registered owner. The 30-year-old arrestee lived, conveniently, in the building behind which the car was parked, and was rounded up and processed with no trouble at all.
Miscellaneous • Suspicious people, objects or events • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Graffiti of the day
February 20, 2008, 4:07 PM
A garage door in the 1200 block of Lombard was defaced with symbols, letters and digits believed to express the disdain—and, perhaps, a touch of jealousy?—of one street gang for an older, better-known one.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Impounded car had stolen plate, suspended driver
February 20, 2008, 3:12 PM
An officer stopped an Olds Intrigue in the 7100 block of Ogden for having only one license plate and one headlight. Driver Christopher J. Gathright, 26, of the 4000 block of west 21st Place, Chicago, was founded to be driving despite a license suspension. In addition, the sole license plate had been reported stolen. Gathright told police he borrowed the car. He was cited for improper lighting, no insurance, driving while suspended and theft-by-possession of the license plate.
Owner of stray, agitated pitbull ticketed
February 19, 2008, 10:46 AM
Police learned of a stray pitbull in the 2800 block of Highland. For safety, someone shut it into a back yard to hold for police. Officers saw the female pitbull appeared injured and seemed agitated. In order to approach the dog, police had to shoot it with a tranquilizer gun. Once calmed, the dog was taken to A-American veterinary. The owner later came to claim the animal. Angelica Marquez, of the 2800 block of Cuyler, was cited for having a dog at large and no city tags.
Criminal damage, theft
February 19, 2008, 8:39 AM
A woman told police her silver Lexus was broken into while parked in the 1600 block of Kenilworth. The car suffered a broken window and the loss of a “Tom-Tom” GPS and a Hewlett-Packard laptop.
11:56 PM
A purple Ford Taurus parked in the 3500 block of Wisconsin was found with its driver-side mirror broken off and removed.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Pink projectiles
February 17, 2008, 9:03 PM
Someone was out shooting pink paintballs at other people’s property; three houses were hit in the 1600 block of Highland, and one in the 1400 block of Oak Park.
1:06 AM
Add one more to the list: eleven windows of the Harley-Davidson business in the 1300 block of Harlem were also hit by pink paintballs.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Unlocked, running, keys inside—hit it!
February 17, 2008, 7:55 PM
A woman told police she parked her 1990 Olds Cutlass in the 6700 block of Cermak and ran into a restaurant to pick up food. She left the car unlocked, running, with the keys in the ignition, and parked half a block away from the restaurant. You know the rest.
Midtown graffiti
February 17, 2008, 3:54 PM
Two garages were found defaced with graffiti; one in the 2500 block of Kenilworth, and the other in the 2300 block of Elmwood.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Elder scam averted by snoozing brother
February 17, 2008, 2:38 PM
An elderly woman told police a man came to the door of her apartment in the 3600 block of Harlem, even though he would have had to pass two locked doors on the street level. The stranger said he needed to come in the apartment to do plumbing. The woman let him in; he walked to the kitchen and told her to empty the sink, which she did. The stranger then told the woman her landlord said to give the woman $50. He held up what appeared to the victim to be a $100 bill, and asked for change. The woman said no. The stranger asked, “Are you alone?” The woman stated that her brother was in the bedroom. The stranger looked into the bedroom, saw the woman’s brother asleep, and said he would return at 3:30 PM. The stranger was described as a male Hispanic in his 40s, balding, with brown eyes and a mustache.
Miscellaneous • Suspicious people, objects or events • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
One block, three garage burglaries
February 17, 2008, 11:15 AM
Three garages in the 1300 block of Cuyler were burglarized using the same method—prying open the service door. A Toro snowblower and a Ryobi mitre saw, with a total value of $600, was stolen from one. The owner of a second garage said his burglary actually occurred the previous week but it did not report it because “it was just a few hand tools.” A third garage yielded a snowblower and a black toolbox.
Burglary and bat-man
February 17, 2008, 8:46 AM
A red Impala, parked in the 2800 block of Scoville, was found with a broken window. A satellite-radio docking system worth $50 was missing.
11:47 AM
In the 1900 block of Scoville, a black Chrysler sedan was found with its windshield and driver window smashed, and one front tire cut and flattened. The victim, a 27-year-old Maywood man, said the damage was done about 15 minutes earlier with a bat or pole by a 21-year-old man from the 6500 block of 26th. Other witnesses to the incident said the same; the victim signed a complaint.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Police union: newspaper story defamed sworn officers, implied bribe-accused dispatcher was cop
Following is an open letter from the Illinois Municipal Police Association:
An open letter to the citizens of Berwyn:
On behalf of the Illinois Municipal Police Association, Berwyn Local # 1, we would like to set the record straight in reference to the recent media attention over the arrest of former police dispatcher, John Flynn. Some information contained the Berwyn Life article was misleading and inaccurately brought the integrity of Berwyn Police officers into question. Therefore, the Illinois Municipal Police Association is issuing the following statement:
Following a comprehensive investigation, the sworn members of the Berwyn Police Department discovered and arrested a dispatcher who had violated the public trust by releasing protected information to sources within the criminal element. The arrestee, John Flynn, was NOT a Berwyn Police officer and he was charged for violations related to his short-term capacity as a dispatcher for the City of Berwyn. Furthermore, there are no part time sworn police officers with the Berwyn Police Department.
The integrity of the Berwyn Police Department is of paramount importance to the officers who wear its uniform. Several Berwyn Police investigators worked tirelessly to bring Flynn to justice and have unfairly been discredited by media reports that falsely classify Flynn as a part time police officer. Flynn was a civilian dispatcher that acted alone and his behavior in no way reflects a pattern or culture of misconduct within the organization. The fact that the sworn members of the Berwyn Police Department went to great length to secure criminal charges against Flynn is a testament to their resolve in ensuring that their civilian support staff members share the same integrity.
For some reason, the press unfairly uses the insinuation of police corruption to aid in its quest to boost circulation. However, the citizens of Berwyn can rest assured that John Flynn was never a police officer. We at the Illinois Municipal Police Association encourage the editor at Liberty Suburban Life Newspapers to conduct more responsible journalism and forward accurate information to those who expect the media to publish the truth.
Sincerely,
_______________ ______________________ ______________________
John O’Halloran James T Sassetti Louis Mazza
President, IMPA Vice-President, IMPA Secretary/Treasurer, IMPA
ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL POLICE ASSOCIATION
BERWYN POLICE UNION
6401 W. 31st Street
Original (accurate) Berwyn Police Blotter version link:
Announcements • Miscellaneous • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Man beats woman, makes detailed death threats
February 17, 2008, 1:54 AM
A woman from the 1900 block of Gunderson told police her boyfriend beat her the previous evening. She said he threw her down, causing her head to strike the corner of a sofa, then kicked her back and legs. The woman’s was was visibly bruised. She told police that during the argument, the boyfriend told her he would kill her, then hide her body under the floorboards. Police charged the 32-year-old man with domestic battery.
Assault, battery • Domestic • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink