Police observed a 1998 silver Oldsmobile Intrigue at Taylor and Madison Street in Oak Park around 11 a.m. on April 12 and noted that the driver and passenger were not wearing seatbelts. When they pulled over the two, the passenger, Prince D. Young, 21, from Oak Park allegedly gave police a false name. When police asked for his real name, they found he had an outstanding warrant from the Downers Grove Police Dept. for fraudulent use of credit cards. A safety pat-down reportedly revealed three credit cards in Young’s shoe, none of which belonged to him. The driver, a 20-year-old from Chicago told police the two friends were “hanging out” and Young offered to buy him gas at the Shell Gas station on Madison and Ridgeland. Young allegedly swiped a credit card at the gas pump and filled up the gas tank for approximately $48. Police contacted the owner of the two Chase Visa cards and one Merrick Bank Visa card. He said his wallet containing the cards had been stolen at Xsport fitness in the 5500 block of Irving Park Rd. in Chicago. Young was charged with one felony count of possession of stolen credit cards.
Stone Park chase ends in River Forest
River Forest officers said an alleged gang shooting altercation in Stone Park, early on the morning of April 7, led to two vehicles chasing each other eastbound on North Avenue. Police said one driver lost control, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway and hit several trees and poles around 4 a.m. in the 7500 block on North Avenue.
According to reports, police at the accident scene found the damaged vehicle empty but learned four occupants had fled the vehicle. One man, an 18-year-old from Stone Park found injured nearby, was transported to the hospital because his injuries, according to a press release from River Forest Deputy Chief James O’Shea.
Officers reportedly recovered a loaded handgun and spent shell casings from another weapon in the damaged vehicle.
Investigation revealed that the incident stemmed from a gang-related disturbance in Stone Park in which several shots were exchanged by rival gang members. The two rival groups then chased each other eastbound down North Avenue until the accident occurred. The second car and its occupants were not located by police.
The driver of the damaged car, a 19-year-old from Berkeley, turned himself in to River Forest police several hours later. The injured man and driver were both charged with unlawful use of a weapon and no valid FOID card. The driver was additionally charged with leaving the scene of an injury accident, plus various traffic offenses.
River Forest police said the Stone Park Police Dept. was independently investigating the earlier gang conflict in their jurisdiction and additional charges might be filed.
Residential burglary
An apartment in the 900 block of S. Euclid Ave. was burglarized, overnight April 8-9, by someone who entered through a basement common area then broke into a bedroom and removed a black Xbox game system and a grey 14-inch Lenovo ideapad laptop and an IPad.
Someone broke into a residence in the 900 block of S. Taylor Ave. during the day, April 12, by prying open the back door then smashing a window to reach in and open an inner door. The house was ransacked, but victims did not immediately identify anything stolen.
A resident of the 900 block of Taylor Avenue reported, April 14, that her rear door was damaged by someone allegedly attempting to kick it open. No entry was made into the residence, according to police.
A garage was burglarized, overnight April 14-15, in the 1200 block of N. Lombard Avenue. Offenders used a pry tool to defeat the side service door lock. A vehicle parked inside was ransacked and a wallet with debit and credit cards and an iPod were removed.
Car burglar caught in the act
A 19-year-old man from Oak Park was arrested, April 14, on the 100 block of N. Elmwood Avenue after police reportedly saw him removing items from a parked car. It was later determined that the man had items taken from vehicles parked in the 200 block of N. Ridgeland Avenue and the 400 block of Iowa Street. He was charged with three counts of burglary to a motor vehicle.
Mercedes thief caught
Oak Park Police arrested a 20-year-old Chicago man at Cook County Jail, April 8, who was charged with stealing a 2010 Mercedes 350E from the parking lot of the Oak Park Tennis and Fitness Centre on March 18. The vehicle’s owner said an unattended bag containing his wallet, cellphone, cash and keys to the Mercedes were removed from the club. The car was recovered in the 8000 block of S. Drexel. The arrestee was taken into custody by Chicago police on an unrelated theft in the 8000 block of S. Drexel and was found in possession of the victim’s Mercedes key.
These items, obtained from the Oak Park and River Forest police departments, came from reports filed April 8-14 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.
