Berwyn Police Blotter
Friday, December 12, 2008
Neighborhood watcher gets in suspicious follower’s face
December 3, 2008, 7:32 PM
A 50-year-old Berwyn man from the 3800 block of Kenilworth told police that, earlier in the day after driving away from his house, he noticed he was being followed by a white 1999 Ford Econoline van. He gave the Illinois license plate number to police. The complainant said he stopped his car, got out and asked the van’s driver what he was doing. The van’s driver then exited the van and announced to the complainant he intended to “kick your ass”. No actual ass-kicking ensued, however; both drivers got back in their vehicles and left the scene. Police advised the victim that, in future such incidents, to call police rather than confront others himself.
Suspicious people, objects or events • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Children endangered by bus-passing Jetta
December 3, 2008, 7:50 AM
An officer saw a black 2003 VW Jetta, headed north on Oak Park Ave., pass a schoolbus in the 1900 block. The bus was loading children, and had its flashing red lights on and its stop sign arm extended. Police stopped the VW at Oak Park and 14th. Driver Silvia Gomez, 35, had no license, only a learner’s permit. She was cited for both offenses.
Traffic stops / accidents • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Burglarized loot: tools and a saxophone
December 4, 2008, 6:59 AM
A woman in the 1800 block of Oak Park reported someone pried open her garage door and stole a saxophone.
6:58 AM
In an attempted burglary in the 7000 block of 35th, a home’s rear door was found bent.
3:09 PM
Snowblower gone after a burglary in the the 2500 block of Oak Park. In the same block, another garage lost a weedeater, a table saw and two boxes full of tools.
Officer dragged by car during chase of thieves
December 3, 2008, 8:01 PM
Dispatchers sent police to Circuit City, Cermak Plaza, on reports two men stole several video games. The offenders were described as two male blacks wearing black “poofy” jackets, one wearing a white headband; also, they were still inside the store, so police staged outside to await their exit. As the two men came outside, police approached, inspiring the offenders to flee westward through the parking lot, where they entered a grey car, possibly a Chrysler. When one of the officers tried to intervene via the car’s open door, the driver put the vehicle in reverse and dragged the officer about 10 feet through the parking lot. The car fled the scene.
As multiple officers searched the area for the offenders, a man was arrested after he was seen running away from the back yard of 2244 Clinton—not his address. The man, a resident of the 4800 block of west Madison, Chicago, told police he had come to Berwyn by bus and had been in the store along when a stranger “tried to sell me stuff”. When asked why he ran, he said he did not know.
Main Street • Suspicious people, objects or events • Theft • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Property owner bamboozled by roommate, homeless guy
December 3, 2008, 4:46 PM
In the 6800 block of 26th St., a 73-year-old Berwyn business owner* told police his garage light was on when it shouldn’t be, adding that he was having trouble with a 27-year-old man who keeps breaking in. The garage door was visibly damaged; police heard someone inside and ordered him to come out. The offender crawled out from under the overhead garage door. The complainant identified him as having worked for him in the past.
The offender told police he is homeless and sometimes stays with a friend of his—a man who lives with the property owner. This man reportedly washes the offender’s clothing and lets him use the property owner’s shower. Since the property owner has banned the offender from the property, his roommate lets the offender in when the older man is not home. At one point, following his arrest, the offender was taken to MacNeal hospital for evaluation after making suicidal remarks.
*This is not the first police incident involving this complainant and a homeless man:
http://www.berwynpoliceblotter.com/index.php/site/comments/borrowed_buggy_boystown_bound/
Miscellaneous • Suspicious people, objects or events • Trespassing • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Heroin & perfume
December 3, 2008, 3:44 PM
A security guard at Marshall’s, Cermak Plaza, told police he detained a man after seeing him conceal merchandise in his jacket and walk out without paying. The merchandise, with a total value of $214.94, consisted of six perfume items. Police arrested Steven L. Dodd, 45, of Bellwood. During booking, police found a plastic bag in his right shoe. The bag held seven smaller baggies; these contained white powder heroin. The assistant state’s attorney approved a felony charge; he was charged with theft and possession of a controlled substance.
Main Street • Theft • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Gunfire goes unreported for three days
December 3, 2008, 2:13 PM
Police met with a River Forest man who said one of his tenants called him days earlier to report hearing two to three gunshots following an argument in the building’s gangway. At the time of the incident—3 AM on November 30th—nobody called police.
The rental building owned by Anthony J. Giannini, 35, of River Forest, is at 2115 Harlem. According to the police report, Giannini stated he was too tired to visit the building until December 3rd. Police found spent .45 automatic casings in the alley by the building.
Front window broken
December 3, 2008, 11:59 AM
In the 3800 block of Clinton, someone broke a 2ft by 3.5 ft front window.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Unmanned BMW runs into house
December 3, 2008, 9:14 AM
Police were sent to the 2300 block of Highland after a caller reported a vehicle on the front lawn. It was a BMW 535i with Indiana used-car dealer plates, stopped on the lawn with its front wheels on the lowest porch step; tire tracks through the snow lay behind the car, which was still running. An officer shut off the ignition. A man ran toward the officer, saying “Oh my God, my car! What happened to my car?!” The man, 41-year-old Nathem A. Keshta, of 2300 21st, Chicago, told police he parked the BMW on the west side of the street, then left to check on property he owns at 2240 Highland. Keshta said he thought he shut the car off and had no idea how it ended up in someone’s front yard.
Suspicious people, objects or events • Traffic stops / accidents • Unusual, mysterious, odd or just weird • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Burglars go on electronics-snitching spree
December 3, 2008, 8:15 AM
A woman in the 6700 block of 19th said she came home after working all night, only to find someone had been in her apartment and taken the flat screen TV, two digital cameras, a purse and some boots.
9:57 AM
A Tahoe parked in the 6300 block of 26th was found with a smashed window and its GPS missing.
12:05 PM
In the 2100 block of Lombard, a Chevy sedan parked inside an unlocked garage was found without its GPS unit, a Nintendo game and 25 CDs.
An Orland Park man told police he parked his AT&T work van in the 3000 block of Harlem. Later, he found the Ford van with its window broken and a laptop computer stolen from within.
2:18 PM
Someone stole a $400 Trek bike from a garage in the 3200 block of Wenonah.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Panicky pizza deliveryman unnerved by armed citizen
December 2, 2008, 9:31 PM
A 39-year-old Franklin Park man told police he went to a residence in the 2300 block of Highland to deliver a pizza. He said the man who opened the door had a gun in his hand. The pizza guy asked whether the resident had ordered a pizza. The man said no and shut the door. Which would have been the end of it, but the pizza guy grew anxious and called 911.
Police spoke with the resident, who affirmed he had indeed answered the door armed; he said he had been having trouble with persons in the area and thought someone was trying to get in. The resident had a valid FOID card and the gun was validly registered.
Burglary attempt damages Buick
December 1, 2008, 4:30 PM
A Buick in the 6500 block of 33rd was found with its steering column broken into.
Open door, empty house
December 2, 2008, 2:35 PM
Actually, it was already empty. A house in the 2400 block of Harvey, apparently abandoned, was found with a door standing open. Police ordered it boarded up.
Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • Miscellaneous • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Truck graffiti
December 2, 2008, 12:14 PM
A box truck parked in the rear of the 6300 block of 26th was found defaced with graffti.
Gang activity • Graffiti / vandalism / criminal damage • (0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Liberty Center theft inside job?
December 2, 2008, 10:50 AM
Berwyn Park District employees reported several items stolen from “Liberty Center”, the former Sokol Berwyn-Slavsky building, at 6445 west 27th Place. The items included two Dell desktop computers valued at $1,000 each, and a $299 X-box game player. These were apparently stolen from an office in a non-public area of the building.