River Forest police officers have arrested four people for multiple thefts of LGBTQ+ pride flags. At 1:37 a.m. Dec. 14, a River Forest police officer stopped a car at Chicago Avenue and Jackson Avenue. The driver was a kid and did not have a valid driver’s license, police said. Officers said they had three passengers exit the vehicle.
The police officers found two airsoft pistols in the car, along with 15 pride flags. The flags “appeared to have been forcefully ripped off numerous homes,” according to River Forest police reports.
Police located one River Forest victim. The driver and passengers were arrested, and refused to provide statements. The case was not able to be enhanced to a hate crime, according to police.
One adult passenger was charged with misdemeanor theft and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The three kids were petitioned to juvenile court for theft and curfew violations.
“These hate-based incidents won’t be tolerated in our community,” River Forest Police Chief James O’Shea said. “The Village of River Forest continues to advocate for victims and witnesses with regard to these ugly and insensitive crimes.”
Criminal damage to property
Someone, by unknown means, slashed all four tires to an Oak Park resident’s 2015 Jeep Compass and all four tires to their 2007 Ford Ranger, too. The incident occurred between 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 and 7 a.m. Dec. 17 and resulted in an estimated damage of $1,600.
Burglary
- Someone got into a Chicago resident’s 2015 Ford Transit 250 van between 10:30 a.m. and 5:49 p.m. Dec. 16 on the 1200 block of North Oak Park Avenue. The person stole various tools and batteries, resulting in an estimated loss of $10,000.
- Someone shattered the window to break into an Electrical Energy Experts vehicle between 2 p.m. Dec. 17 and 5:49 a.m. Dec. 18 on the 400 block of South Harvey Avenue. The person stole a generator, tools and a work light with tripod. The estimated loss is $2,800.
Motor vehicle theft
- Between 9:30 p.m. Dec. 15 and 8:30 a.m. Dec. 16, someone got into and stole an Oak Park resident’s white 2017 Chrysler Pacifica on the 700 block of Wesley Avenue. The estimated loss is $11,000.
- Someone stole an Oak Park resident’s black 2025 Honda CRV between Dec. 18 and 19 on the 1100 block of South Lombard Avenue.
Retail theft
- Around 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13, four women entered the Old Navy at 417 N. Harlem Ave. and stole children’s clothing. The estimated loss was $1,377.34.
- Around 3 p.m. Dec. 19, two women stole merchandise from the Walgreens at 6412 Roosevelt Road. The estimated loss is $3,500.
Theft
Around 4:45 p.m. Dec. 16, someone stole an Oak Park resident’s wallet from their purse containing a driver’s license, debit and credit cards, gift cards and money. The incident, which occurred on the 6400 block of West North Avenue, resulted in an estimated loss of $1,570.
Arrest
- A 36-year-old Chicago man was arrested at 3:18 p.m. Dec. 18 on the 100 block of Washington Boulevard for an aggravated battery that occurred on the 200 block of Clinton Avenue. He was also charged with aggravated driving on a revoked driver’s license.
- A 26-year-old Chicago man was arrested at 11:43 a.m. Dec. 19 on the 1000 block of Chicago Avenue for battery to a Maywood resident.
These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports dated Dec. 16 – 20 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 Luzane Draughon