Oak Park police responded to four street robberies involving the theft of bikes from Oak Park juveniles last week. The afternoon of June 2, a gang of 8-10 youths, estimated to be 14-17 years of age, approached a boy riding his bike on the 200 block of Berkshire Street. One boy grabbed the cyclist and another boy punched him in the face. One of the assailants then rode off on the $300 bike.
Two hours later on the 6100 block of North Ave., police arrested three Chicago juveniles who grabbed another boy’s bike handlebars and told him, “We’re taking your bike. If you try to ride off, we’ll beat you up.”
The following afternoon, June 3, two Oak Park boys were approached by two other youths, one of whom demanded, “Give me your money.” The second would-be thief then said, “Let’s take their bikes” and picked up an unknown object off the ground. He then chased the two cyclists, striking one on the leg. Both cyclists got away from their assailants.
On June 5, police arrested three boys, age 12-15,on the 600 block of East Ave. after one of them jumped off the rear pegs of another boy’s bike, grabbed an Oak Park boy riding by on his own bike, threw him off and took the bike.
“It’s that time of year,” said Commander Clemet Harbour. “School’s out and kids are out riding their bikes.” He said police are alerted, and respond as rapidly as they can.
“The key is to respond quickly, before they get out of town,” he said. Harbour urged bike owners of all ages to register their bikes with the village.
“A lot of times we stopped people riding bikes and find the bikes were [stolen] earlier.”
Robbery
A man was approached from behind by another man on the 1100 block of North Blvd. around 11:30 p.m., June 7, and asked for $10. When the man refused the request, the other man punched him on the side of the head, wrestled him to the ground and took $160 cash from his pocket. He was last seen running off with two other men.
A Chicago juvenile was arrested on the 3900 block of West Wilcox, June 4, on a warrant charging him with a March 15, 2008 armed robbery on the CTA Blue Line at the Oak Park Avenue station. Besides armed robbery he was charged with mob action, battery, and possession of cannabis and was turned over to the Cook County Juvenile authorities.
Six boys and three girls followed an Oak Park boy to the 100 block of Madison around 11 p.m., June 5, where one knocked him down and another took $30 cash from his pocket.
Battery
Regimond Maxwell, 18, was arrested on a signed complaint, June 3, for allegedly battering a woman. The afternoon of June 8, Maxwell was arrested again for the alleged battery of an Oak Park girl on the 900 block of North Blvd. Reina E. Allison, 17, and two Oak Park juveniles were arrested along with Maxwell.
Anthony Gilmore, 37, of Chicago allegedly refused to leave West Suburban Hospital around 6:30 a.m., June 9, and tackled a security guard twice. Gilmore was charged with battery for that, and aggravated battery for reportedly kicking a police officer in the leg twice.
Burglary
Global satellite positioning devices appear to be a popular target of car burglars as several cars parked behind a home on the 400 block of South Grove Ave. all lost the devices during break-ins, as did another car on the 900 block of Ontario St. Other vehicles were burglarized on the 800 block of Lake St., 1150 block of South Harvey Ave., 1000 block of South Gunderson Ave., 700 block of Garfield Ave. and 600 block of North Elmwood Ave.
Police arrested a suspect in the previous week’s 36 vehicle burglaries. While he was ultimately charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, not burglary, Oak Park police say that since his arrest, vehicle burglaries have dropped sharply.
Two men were observed breaking a side window of a restaurant on the 7100 block of Roosevelt Road around 3:30 a.m., June 2. They made off with a safe containing $1,030, $60 in coins, and $130 from an open cash register drawer.
Someone cut a screen and pushed up an unlocked window of a home on the 400 block of North Oak Park Ave., June 5-8, and $6,270 in belongings were stolen.
Burglars cut a screen and opened an unlocked door on the 300 block of South Taylor Ave., overnight June 1. A digital camera and $10 cash were stolen.
Items valued in total at $940 were stolen from a car in an unlocked garage on the 600 block of South Humphrey Ave., overnight June 3.
The owner of a car parked on the 6800 block of North Ave., the afternoon of June 2, returned to find one of several bags of medical equipment jammed in a broken side window.
Someone broke the trunk latch on a car parked on the first block of Fillmore St., June 3-5, and stole stereo speakers and computer network equipment valued at $2,800.
Three bikes, assorted lawn furniture, and a cappuccino maker, totaling a value of $4,875, were stolen from a garage on the 200 block of Forest Ave., overnight June 5.
Police arrested a Chicago boy after he entered a rear yard on the 100 block of South Elmwood Ave., the evening of June 4, and attempted to steal property.
Someone pried the side door of a garage on the 100 block of South Austin Blvd., overnight June 1, broke a car window and stole a 5-inch television and a miter saw.
A bike and helmet, valued in total at $530, were stolen from a garage on the 600 block of Wesley Ave. during the day, June 4.
DUI
Robert Ruiz, 45, of Oak Lawn reportedly ran his car into a dumpster on the 1000 block of North Oak Park Ave. around 1 a.m., June 7. Police say he smelled of alcohol and was glassy-eyed.
Ryan Castronova, was stopped for an alleged traffic violation near North and Harlem avenues around 2 a.m., June 3. He was charged with driving under the influence.
Outside warrant
Floyd C. Luckie, 55, formerly of the Oak Park area, was reportedly panhandling on the 7100 block of North Ave. the afternoon of June 7. Police say a name check determined Luckie, who has prior convictions for firearm possession and burglary, was wanted for violation of his parole on a drug possession conviction, as well as for three arrest warrants for driving on a revoked license.
Darnell L. Martin, 18, of Chicago was allegedly knocking on windows and causing a disturbance on the 300 block of South Austin Blvd. around 3: 30 a.m., June 4. He was reportedly wanted on a warrant for violation of his conditional releases from jail.
Theft
A woman shopping in a store on the 6500 block of Roosevelt Road, the night of June 5, had $1,500 cash and her car and house keys stolen from her purse, which was left in a shopping cart.
Two young boys were observed stealing two bikes from a backyard on the 1100 block of South Lombard Ave., the evening of June 2. A witness chased the thieves into Chicago, where they abandoned the bikes.
Overnight May 30, a total of 31 feet of copper gutter was stolen off a home on the 800 block of Bonnie Brae in River Forest.
Criminal damage to property
Paul D. Barnes, 17, of the 300 block of South Oak Park Ave. was allegedly observed punching and breaking the windows of a residence and business on the 200 block of Lake St., the morning of June 3.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Oak Park and River Forest police departments from May 19 to May 26. Not all incidents that occurred are listed. Anyone named in reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated.
-Compiled by Bill Dwyer
