Berwyn Police Blotter
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Perverting the purpose of the pool
August 11, 2009, 3:38 PM
Police were sent to a disturbance at the Berwyn Rec Center pool, 6501 31st. Several employees met the officer and pointed out a middle-aged couple described as “behaving inappropriately, engaging in sexual touching and speaking in sexual innuendo.” In public. The officer observed the behavior for himself and reported seeing the pair swimming and “grabbing each other inappropriately”; he ordered them out of the water and explained the behavior was not permissible at the pool, as it is a public facility intended for family use. The female subjected complied and left, but the male subject, according to the report, repeatedly stated that he did not have to leave and had done nothing wrong. In addition, the report said, the male subject repeatedly yelled “KUVA!” at the officer; he then left the pool area but continued to loiter in the parking lot. The officer asked him to leave four times, and got “KUVA!” in reply. Jiri Spacil, 57, 2148 S. Elmwood, was arrested for criminal trespass to state-supported land.
Disorderly conduct • Suspicious people, objects or events • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Found: graffiti culprit
August 12, 2009, 4:26 PM
Police received information that a gang member, who lives in the basement apartment of a residence in the 1800 block of Home, was responsible for gang graffiti found on properties in the 1600 and 1800 blocks of Home. The 20-year-old suspect, whose street name is apparently “Twicker”, was found standing in front of the residence with an 18-year-old Chicago man known within his gang as “Fat Joe”. “Twicker” reportedly admitted to committing the acts of vandalism; police recovered two spray paint cans from the premises.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Cavorting loudly
August 12, 2009, 2:07 AM
According to a police report, an anonymous caller complained of “people being loud and cavorting in the rear of a house at 2235 East”. Police met there with three men: Eduardo A. Munoz, 21, of Cicero; Jorge Nunez, 20, of 2235 East, and Edgar Nunez, 25, of 2235 East; each was issued a disorderly conduct citation. Homeowner Mere Gomez was cited for use of the premises to disturb the peace.
Disorderly conduct • Gang activity • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
August 11, 2009
Stolen car
August 11, 2009, 7:17 AM
A 2000 silver Chevy Impala disappeared from the 1500 block of Gunderson the night of August 10th. Owners said the car had been locked.
Noise impound
August 11, 2009, 12:16 PM
Police stopped Steve Kobela, of the 3100 block of Oak Park, two blocks south of his home for an excessively loud radio. He was charged with driving on a suspended license, having an uninsured vehicle, a broken tail light and illegally loud radio. His 1996 maroon Taurus was impounded.
Neighbor witnesses car burglary by other neighbors
August 11, 2009, 3:15 PM
A man preparing for work at 5 AM heard glass breaking and left his house in the 2300 block of Scoville. There he saw two 18 - 20-year-old male whites standing beside his neighbor’s maroon 2006 Jeep. The rear driver’s side vent window had been smashed. The men walked from the car and then sat on the porch of 2234 S. Scoville. After sitting for awhile, the witness saw the men return to the car, open the door and grab some items. They fled north toward the house where they had previously been sitting. The car’s owner reported that his dashboard was damaged; a car stereo was missing along with a $100 iPod and $40.
Really old car burglarized
August 11, 2009, 5:13 PM
The owner of a 1977 red American Motors station wagon told police that someone stole the insurance and vehicle registration cards from the car parked in the 3000 block of Clarence. The thief left the passenger side door open, the victim said.
Unlocked Ford Focus burgled
August 11, 2009, 6:20 PM
Thieves hit the jackpot when they found an unlocked car on the 2400 block of Kenilworth and removed a CD/Stereo unit, iPod, radar detector and the owner’s wallet containing his ID and insurance card. A neighbor told police she heard yelling in the street around 3:00 AM, but did not look out the window.
Car damaged in hospital lot
August 11, 2009, 3:34 PM
A gray 1996 Dodge Caravan was damaged on the rear driver’s side panel after being parked in the MacNeal hospital lot near some construction equipment.
Boyfriend moves out with her money
August 11, 2009, 3:53 PM
A woman told police she suspected her former boyfriend in the ransacking of her bedroom and theft of $300 and a camera. She said that while she was at work, her boyfriend’s belongings had been removed from the apartment they shared in the 1800 block of Wesley. Her money and camera disappeared as well.
Garage burglary
August 11, 2009, 6:08 PM
A tile cutter and a box of hand tools worth $500 were stolen from a garage in the 6400 block of 27th St. Police believe the thief entered through a side door.
Man finds hand grenade in cousin’s junk
August 11, 2009, 6:47 PM
A man cleaning the garage for a cousin (who is in a nursing home with dementia) discovered several shotgun shells and what appeared to be a live hand grenade. Cook County bomb squad officers arrived at 3500 block of Wisconsin and determined the grenade to be a fake.
-J. LeHane
Burglary • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • Noise violations • Theft • Traffic stops / accidents • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
August 8, 2009
Damage to lawn items
August 8, 2009, 9:19 AM
A man reported that persons unknown entered a back yard in the 3500 block of Clinton and slashed a garden hose, volleyball net and trampoline. A basketball net was also stolen. Damage totaled $250.
Burglary, damage to vehicle
August 8, 2009, 9:30 AM
A driver’s-side window of a 1998 blue Chevy was smashed in the 2300 block of Home. Thieves helped themselves to the owner’s black cloth jacket.
Youthful looking driver smells like pot
August 8, 2009, 4:26 PM
Police curbed a 1992 black Suburban driven by a man who looked too young to be driving at East and 24th. He was, in fact, 22 years old, but officer noted a strong smell of burning cannabis emitting from his car. The driver admitted smoking pot and a search revealed a more in his car. He was fined $100.
Hit and run
August 8, 2009, 5:42 PM
Witnesses saw a green Ford Explorer hit a parked red Buick Regal in the 6600 block of 26th.
Bleach-hurling quarrel
August 8, 2009, 7:33 PM
Police were summoned to a domestic argument in the 6900 block of Cermak and noticed a strong odor of bleach emitting from the apartment. A man told police that the woman had tried to get him to leave the apartment by pouring bleach all over the bedroom and then throwing bleach at him. The officers noticed his black t-shirt was splattered with brown spots. Neither pressed charges, but the man agreed to leave. The woman remained in the foul-smelling apartment.
Graffiti in the parks
August 8, 2009, 6:39 PM
Black marker graffiti was found in the men’s bathrooms at Freedom Park and Proska Park and at Heritage Emerson on a slide.
Auto-hit cyclist splits before the cops show up
August 8, 2009, 7:33 PM
Police were summoned to a car-bicycle accident in front of Pierre’s Banquet Hall in the 3200 block of Harlem. The driver of the 1994 Mitsubishi Eclipse told police that the cyclist (who had tattooed arms) told him that he didn’t want to make a police record because he had an active arrest warrant. He allegedly asked the driver for money to repair his bike and the driver gave him $40.
Swerving car
August 8, 2009, 9:42 PM
An erratically-driving silver 2007 Chrysler 300 came to police attention on Lombard and 18th. The 84 year old driver was found to be having a diabetic episode, and was taken to MacNeal hospital.
Empty building secured
August 8, 2009, 6:39 PM
Police boarded up the pried-open rear door of an abandoned building in the 2400 block of Cuyler after a walk-through.
-J. LeHane
Domestic • Drugs, alcohol, DUI • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • Traffic stops / accidents • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Molotov cocktail stockpile
August 7, 2009, 10:23 PM
The manager of a building in the 2100 block of Gunderson, west side, told police a tenant reported a strong smell of gasoline in the basement, Investigating the odor, the manager discovered three Miller Lite beer bottles, each filled with gasoline and with a long strip of cloth stuffed in the bottleneck.
Weapons-related • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Gun dumped
August 7, 2009, 10:02 PM
An anonymous caller reported a gun lying in near a dumpster in the 2500 block of Wesley alley. Police recovered an Ithaca .45 semiautomatic pistol marked “U.S.Army” after the serial number.
Weapons-related • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Three teens charged with felony armed robbery
August 6, 2009, 1:13 AM
A Chicago man told police that, when he stepped out of his vehicle at 21st and Highland, two men approached him, displayed a black revolver and demanded that he empty his pockets. The robbers—with the victim’s wallet and cell phone—then fled in a silver 4-door vehicle. The victim provided police with the license number of the getaway car.
River Forest police later stopped the same vehicle, a Mitsubishi, at Madison and Des Plaines; the victim positively identified two of the men inside as the robbers; a third man was the driver of the car. The victim identified Byron A. Holman, 18, of Bellwood, as the gunman. He was charged with felony armed robbery. Police recovered the victim’s property, along with a black H & R Arms .22 revolver with one spent casing and four live rounds remaining. Also charged with felony armed robbery were Brice P. Ford, 18, of Bellwood, and Akil B. Pang, 17, of Maywood.
Robbery • Weapons-related • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Friday, August 21, 2009
Robbers attack victims in north end, Depot
August 4, 2009, 4:24 PM
An 18-year-old man told police he was walking up his rear stairs in the 6800 block of Windsor when three men pulled him off the steps, punched and kicked him, and stole his wallet before fleeing on foot through the alley.
The victim described the first robber as a male black, 5’8” and 165 lbs, with black hair, dressed in a brown shirt with a cross and wings. The second, he said, was a male black, 6’2” and thin, in a blue shirt with white stripes; the third was a male black, 6’2”, in a blue polo shirt. The victim’s face showed scratches and swelling from the beating.
8:53 PM
A 55-year-old woman was walking eastbound on 14th near Home when an attacker tore her purse off her shoulder and knocked her down before fleeing on foot. The victim could only describe the robber as of medium build, dressed in a black hoodie and black pants.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
More victims sought in ongoing groping case
August 19, 2009,
Berwyn police have arrested a doctor—already facing multiple sexual assault and battery charges—for practicing medicine while his license was suspended.
Dr. Ricardo Arze, 6925 Cermak, was initially arrested in September, 2007, after a joint investigation by Berwyn police and the Cook County sheriff’s department. Several of Arze’s patients had come forward complaining they had been groped during medical examination. Arze was charged with four felony counts of criminal sexual assault and 11 misdemeanor battery counts; he was also prohibited from seeing patients as a condition of his bond. His license to practice was then suspended by the state.
Berwyn police recently developed information that Arze was violating his bond by seeing patients once more. An undercover officer went to Arze’s office for an examination, during which Arze prescribed medication for that officer. Police arrived a short time later, interrupting Arze examining a female patient. He was arrested and charged with eight felony counts of practicing medicine without a license.
Anyone who has been a patient of Arze’s since 2007 and may be a victim is asked to contact the Berwyn Police Department at 708-795-2170.
Announcements • Miscellaneous • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Noisy and unlicensed
August 4, 2009, 10:38 AM
Police stopped a Mitsubishi Galant in the 6200 block of Cermak because its stereo could be heard 200 feet away. The $500 ticket for noise went to driver Heriberto Barrios, 23, of Chicago; he was also cited for driving with no valid license.
Gang graffiti roundup
August 4, 2009, 12:19 AM
A purple top hat and other gang graffiti were left on property in the 2100 block of Wesley.
7:38 AM
Eleven garages in the 1800 block of Home/Wenonah alley were found marred with gang graffiti, as were properties in the 1300 block of Elmwood and the 1900 block of Euclid.
12:51 PM
Gang graffiti was left on a garage in the 6700 block of 21st.
Burglaries
August 3, 2009, 11:19 AM
In the 3200 block of Scoville, someone forced the side door of a garage and stole three bikes, seven folding chairs and three DeWalt screw guns.
11:42 PM
Someone apparently tried to break into a residence in the 6300 block of 26th; the window next to the front door was found damaged and its screen was ripped.
Ghetto rims
August 3, 2009
A man from the 3500 block of Harlem told police that his friend—a woman he had known for six months, yet only by an apparent street name, “Magic”—stole his grey 1997 Buick. The Buick, the victim told police, had what he called “ghetto rims”.
The victim described “Magic” as follows: female black, dressed in black, red and white, wearing high heels, hair styled in blonde and black braids. He told officers he doesn’t know where “Magic” lives, but that they “got together” earlier after encountering one another at 73rd and Stoney Island.
Piercing pain
August 2, 2009, 5:07 PM
Called to a domestic disturbance in the 3400 block of Cuyler, police spoke with the victim, a 24-year-old man. He stated he got into an argument with his ex-girlfriend, a 21-year-old woman. During the argument, the woman apparently yanked the piercing out of his lower lip. Police photographed the resulting injury.