Thanksgiving started with a bang in Oak Park. At 6:17 a.m., Nov. 26, a beige 2005 Altima, reported stolen out of DeKalb, crashed and caught on fire in the 600 block of Taylor Avenue trying to flee Oak Park police, who were attempting to pull the vehicle over for a traffic stop. Police were unable to locate the driver of the Altima, who ran from the vehicle after the crash. The DeKalb Police Department notified the vehicle’s owner that Oak Park police had recovered the Altima.

 

Aggravated robbery

The 7-Eleven convenience store at 240 Chicago Ave. was robbed at 1:30 a.m., Nov. 30, when a man entered the store and stated, “I have a gun,” while reaching toward his waistband. Victims saw no actual weapon. The man took two packs of cigarettes from behind the counter then fled on foot, traveling northbound on Harvey Avenue. Police reports describe the man as Black, 30 to 40 years old, with a small beard. He was last seen wearing a black facemask and a gray sweatshirt.

 

Burglary

A man was caught on surveillance camera breaking into a residential garage and entering the victim’s silver 2013 Porsche; the man ransacked the vehicle’s interior and attempted to remove a red snowblower from the garage in the 400 block of Grove Avenue between 4:12 and 6:12 a.m., Nov. 24. 

 

Motor vehicle theft

  • A white 2017 Toyota Highlander, parked at a gas pump at the BP gas station, 520 S. Austin Blvd., was reported stolen at 11:27 a.m., Nov. 24.
  • An unlocked and running black 2019 Nissan Sentra was taken from the 1100 block of Lake Street between 7 and 8 p.m., Nov. 23.
  • Riverside police recovered a white 2014 Mazda 3 reported stolen Nov. 9 from the 200 block of Flournoy Street. The vehicle was found in the 2800 block of South Harlem Avenue, River Side. Police made no apprehensions.
  • A silver 2016 Hyundai Sonata was taken from the first block of Superior Street between 9:30 a.m., Nov. 26 and 8:28 a.m., Nov. 28.

 

Theft

  • Someone removed a flagpole and rainbow flag from a front porch in the 800 block of South East Avenue between 10 p.m., Nov. 21 and 3 p.m., Nov. 22. 
  • A FedEx package containing Chicago Blackhawks clothing items was taken from a front porch in the 1100 block of Highland Avenue between 2 and 3 p.m., Nov. 25. 
  • Someone removed a 24-inch decorative outdoor light fixture mounted next to the victim’s front porch in the 900 block of Home Avenue between 11 p.m., Nov. 25 and 8 a.m., Nov. 26.
  • A blue and red “Bye Don” political sign was taken from the front yard of a residence in the 200 block of South East Avenue between 9 p.m., Nov. 26 and 2 p.m., Nov. 27.
  • Someone took tax return paperwork from the bathroom closet of an apartment in the 300 block of Wisconsin Avenue between 10 a.m., Nov. 27 and 12:41 p.m., Nov. 28.
  • Someone created a fake Facebook Marketplace profile and scammed a victim of cash at 12:16 a.m., Nov. 29, under the pretense of delivering a Sony PlayStation PS5 gaming station to the 800 block of Washington Boulevard.
  • A portable basketball hoop was taken from a backyard in the 300 block of North Cuyler Avenue between 12 p.m., Nov. 25 and 12:30 p.m., Nov. 29. 

 

Criminal damage to property 

  • Someone shattered the rear windshield of a vehicle parked in the 900 block of South Elmwood Avenue at 2:22 p.m., Nov. 16
  • Someone broke the lock to a garage service door and damaged the door jamb in the 900 block of South Maple Avenue between 3 p.m., Nov. 27 and 11 a.m., Nov. 28. 
  • The glass to a resident’s front door was damaged between 3 p.m., Nov. 27 and 12:16 p.m., Nov. 29 in the 400 block of Washington Boulevard.
  • A man kicked and broke a front window to Jewel Osco, 438 Madison St., at 12:10 p.m., Nov. 29 after a security guard stopped him for trying to steal two bottles of liquor, which were recovered. The man was last seen running eastbound on Madison Street. 

 

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports Nov. 23- 30 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.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

Join the discussion on social media!