An aggravated robbery occurred at a 7-Eleven in the 600 block of South Boulevard on Feb. 5 around midnight. A male offender, 35-40, implied he had a weapon and told the cashier, “This is a stick-up” ordering the cash registers be opened. No weapon was displayed. After the victim complied, the offender removed the money and fled the store. Estimated loss is $150.
Copper thief arrested
River Forest police arrested a 35-year-old Chicago man they said is responsible for five area copper downspout thefts on the same River Forest block between Jan. 20 and Feb. 4.
The man was observed by a resident removing copper downspouts from a home in the 800 block of Bonnie Brae around 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday. Patrol officers quickly located the man’s vehicle and stopped it at Chicago and Harlem avenues. Several large copper downspouts were recovered from the vehicle, as well as a 9-foot section identified as belonging to the victim.
After his arrest, the suspect allegedly admitted to previous copper thefts on the block within the past month. He was charged with one count of theft. Further charges may be forthcoming, River Forest police said.
River Forest Deputy Chief James O’Shea praised the resident for “having the courage to become involved” and reminded River Foresters to “remain vigilant and report any suspicious or illegal activity immediately.”
Concordia student pot bust
Concordia University campus security and River Forest police arrested a 17-year-old male student after campus security allegedly discovered cannabis in his dorm room, hidden in a hollowed-out Hebrew-English dictionary. Recovered were 18 small zip-lock bags of cannabis (weighing 16.3 grams), empty plastic baggies, rolling papers, a digital scale and $227 cash at the Jonathan Hall dorm on Feb. 6 around 3:45 p.m. The student was charged with felony counts of possession of narcotics with intent to deliver and possession on school grounds.
Purses lifted
A purse was stolen from a cart while the owner was shopping at Whole Foods Market on the evening of Feb. 8. Loss was $140.
A purse containing an iPod and credit cards was stolen from a public area at Concordia University around 7 p.m. on Feb. 5. Loss was valued at $250.
DUI in Dominican parking lot
Officers responded around 2 a.m. on Feb. 9 after witnesses reported a vehicle driving recklessly in the west parking lot. The car was stuck in a snow bank when officers arrived. The driver allegedly reversed and almost struck the squad car behind him. When asked to exit the car, the 23-year-old male driver from Rolling Meadows allegedly became combative and appeared intoxicated. He was charged with DUI, battery and resisting arrest.
Residential burglary
One or more persons used brute force to gain entry to a residence in the 900 block of N. Marion on Feb. 13 and removed an Apple iMac computer, a pink Apple iPod, a black iPod case, a Boss Mobile iPod speaker, a 42-inch Samsung Smart flat-screen TV, a 32-inch Sony flat-screen TV, a Sony Vaio laptop computer, and a drawstring bag. Estimated loss is $4,770.
Burglary to motor vehicle
A resident in the 600 block of Harrison, reported the theft of an HTC Envoy cellphone with charger, an I-Pass, and a Samsonite briefcase containing miscellaneous papers, Feb. 4-5. One or more unknown persons allegedly gained entry to the victim’s vehicle via the closed but unlocked door. Estimated loss is $310.
An unknown person used a handsaw to remove the catalytic converter of a 2006 Honda Element in the 300 block of Harrison between Feb. 4 and 5. Estimated loss is $1,000.
A bowling ball was among the items stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in the 800 block of Lake St. on Feb. 9. One or more offenders allegedly entered through the unlocked door of the vehicle, ransacking the glove box and center console. Estimated loss is $100.
Garage burglaries
Someone gained entry to a locked garage in the 1100 block of S. Lombard, overnight Feb. 4, by prying open the service door, damaging the door frame. Once inside, a Tan Trek men’s mountain bike was removed. Estimated loss is $500 for the bike and $100 for damage to the garage door.
Someone used force to gain entry to a garage in the 1100 block of S. Humphrey, overnight Feb. 7. Various power and hand tools were removed. Estimated loss is $2,050.
A 34-year-old Chicago man was arrested for burglary and possession of a stolen motor vehicle in the 1100 block of Clinton on Feb. 8. Officers responded to a burglary in progress in the victim’s garage around 2:30 a.m.
Theft
An unknown person removed a red Fuji Sunfire boy’s bike, locked to a rack in the 1100 block of North Blvd. on Feb. 5. Estimated loss is $100.
A Samsung Galaxy cellphone was stolen from the Oak Park Public Library in the 800 block of Lake St. on Feb. 8. The phone had been left unattended on a table inside the library. Estimated loss is $200.
Juveniles arrested for burglary and criminal trespass
A 15-year-old and 16-year-old Chicago juveniles were arrested and charged with criminal trespass to building and two counts of burglary on Feb. 9. A witness observed the juveniles exit the 19th Century Club on the 100 block of Forest. They then got into a neighbor’s unlocked vehicle in the 200 block of N. Forest. The witness confronted the juveniles, who fled on foot. During a later search, the juvenile offenders were found hiding in the storage area of an apartment building in the 900 block of Ontario. The offenders had allegedly removed two boxes of snack chips from the basement of the 19th Century Club and $3 in coins from the vehicle in the 200 block of N. Forest. The arrestees were referred to court.
These items, obtained from the Oak Park and River Forest police departments, came from reports filed Feb. 5-10 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
