A piece of professional glass art belonging to the Oak Park Public Library (OPPL) was destroyed outside in the 900 block of Lake Street. Police reported that the piece was removed from the Main Library, 834 Lake St., at 4 p.m., July 2 by a man in his 20s wearing a Chicago White Sox hat, black shirt and blue jeans.
The artwork was entitled “Fish Gotta Swim, Birds Gotta Fly” and was created by an artist affiliated with the Higgins Glass Studio of Riverside, according to OPPL Executive Director David Seleb, who did not know the artist’s name. The piece had an estimated value of $2,500.
“The work was hanging on a wall in the library before it was removed by an unauthorized individual, carried outside the library building and intentionally destroyed,” Seleb told Wednesday Journal.
Police are investigating the incident.
Burglary
Someone broke into a garage by removing a window pane, then removed a lawn mower and men’s bicycle from inside, between 9 p.m., July 2 and 7:05 a.m., July 3 in the 800 block of Mapleton Avenue. The estimated loss is $1,100.
A bicycle, weed whacker, and air compressor were stolen from a garage with a broken lock on its door in the 800 block of Hayes Avenue between 2 p.m., July 4 and 10:09 a.m., July 5. The estimated loss is $1,105.
Someone gained entry to a home, possibly by using a broken glass pane on the front door, then attempted to remove the door’s deadbolt and stole a knife between 7:30 p.m. and 11:14 p.m., July 5 in the 200 block of Harlem Avenue.
Numerous gold and diamond pieces of jewelry were taken from a residence with an unlocked back door in the 100 block of North Ridgeland Avenue between 5:50 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., July 6. The estimated loss is $11,200.
A person with a beard and wearing a hooded sweatshirt was observed via video surveillance entering a residential garage with a partially open overhead door and removing two socket sets, a power drill with charger, a 12-volt battery and a box of diapers between 3:45 a.m., July 6 and 6 p.m., July 8 in the 400 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The estimated loss is $390.
Motor vehicle theft
Someone removed a vehicle parked in the 1100 block of Linden Avenue between 8 p.m., July 1 and 7 a.m., July 2. The estimated loss is $3,000.
A vehicle was taken from the 600 block of North Taylor Avenue between 10 p.m., July 4 and 7 p.m., July 6. The estimated loss is $5,640.
A person was recorded on video surveillance entering and driving off in an unattended and unlocked vehicle that was left running outside of the Shell gas station, 1 Harrison St., at 7:17 p.m., July 7. The estimated loss is $16,500.
Theft
Someone took three Amazon packages, containing a pair of children’s sandals, protein powder, and a gray bathroom rug, from the front porch of a residence in the 300 block of South Taylor Street between 4:38 a.m. and 5 p.m., July 11. The estimated loss is $107
Criminal property damage
Someone threw a brick at a black 2020 Nissan Rogue, shattering its front windshield around 11:30 p.m., July 8 in the first block of Iowa Street. The estimated damage is $300.
A rock was used to break the glass on the main door of a building then spray-painted a white line across most of the building around 1:09 a.m., July 9 in the first block of Garfield Street. The estimated damage is $2,000.
Someone used a glass beer bottle to shatter the rear window of a white Toyota Camry between 5 p.m., July 10 and 7:13 a.m., July 11 in the 900 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The estimated damage is $500.
These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports July 3-12 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
