Local Crime Roundup

Editor's note: The crime news reported by the Southwest Chicago Post---taken directly from Chicago Police Department incident reports---is not by any means an exhaustive catalogue of all crime reported in the Chicago Lawn (8th) District. For example, it typically does not include news of crimes committed in the eastern and southern sectors of the district---because the Southwest Chicago Post's coverage area is primarily the neighborhoods that border Midway Airport and secondarily because including the relatively large volume of crime news from elsewhere in the district would be a logistical challenge. We make this note to offer a little helpful perspective and remind everyone that while crime is definitely a concern in all parts of the district (as it always has been), crime remains relatively low overall in Sector 1. May all of us work together diligently to keep it that way. May all of us also remember that a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Two thugs who robbed a Clearing convenience store at gunpoint on Wednesday, May 30 remain at large.

At about 2:00 p.m., a man walked into the Friendly Food and Liquor store, 6323 South Central, pointed a chrome-plated handgun at a 25-year-old clerk and ordered her to hand over the contents of the cash register and then lie down on the floor. She did as she was told, and then the robber began filling a black trash bag with candy, cigarettes and bottles of liquor.

A second offender then grabbed a 51-year-old man in the store, took $15 cash from his wallet and used duct tape to tie him up.




File photo---example only.

  The first offender then said, "Let's go, Darnell" to the second offender, and both fled the store in an unknown direction. In all, the pair stole 12 bottles of Yukon Jack liqueur, 31 packages of cigarettes, $10 worth of candy and $60 cash.

The victims described the first criminal as a black man, 21-28 years old, 5'4 and 130 pounds, brown eyes and a medium complexion; and the second criminal ("Darnell") as a black man, 21-28 years old, 5'7 and 180 pounds, with a dark complexion.

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A 49-year-old laborer from the South Side's West Pullman neighborhood was arrested in the Clearing neighborhood on Tuesday, May 29 for allegedly exposing his genitals in public and then threatening an off-duty Chicago Police sergeant.

Cleo McCoo was charged with two misdemeanors and has a court date of June 26, police said.

According to the off-duty sergeant, at about 2:45 p.m. he saw McCoo and another man at the end of an alley near 64th and Nottingham. McCoo was allegedly waving his exposed penis in the air, visible to the sergeant and three young girls (ages 5-7) playing nearby.

The sergeant said that when he ordered McCoo to put his penis back in his pants, McCoo hollered "F~ck you, b~tch!"

The sergeant then reportedly said, "I'm an off-duty Chicago Police officer. Put your d~ck away." He said that McCoo responded, "F~ck you, b~tch. I wish you would get in my face. I'll kick your ass."

The sergeant then went inside his house to retrieve his police star and duty weapon, also telling his wife to call 911 and report the situation.

The sergeant then walked out of his house and ordered McCoo and the other man to lie down on the ground. Upon seeing the star and weapon, McCoo allegedly said, "Oh, so you are the Five-O? I'll still kick your ass!"

While charges were for misdemeanor crimes, the incident raised questions among neighbors in the immediate vicinity, who witnessed a large, fast police response and wondered what the cause was. At least a dozen police officers were on the scene, due to the fact that the situation was labeled a 10-1 (officer in immediate danger, all units respond).

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Burglars broke through the window of a garage near 58th and Nottingham and stole four black rims, a Ninja mini-bike, and air compressor and a tool bag filled with tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 34-year-old man, when he came home from work at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 29. His neighbor reported that earlier in the day, at about 10:30 a.m., she had heard cars doors opening and closing near the garage and saw two men with a white Chevrolet Caprice Classic with chipped paint. When they saw her, they drove away.

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Burglars entered a home near 80th and Kenneth and stole six TV sets, a laptop computer, three gaming consoles (PlayStation, xBox and Wii), an engagement ring and miscellaneous other jewelry.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 19-year-old woman, when she came home from work at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday, May 29. There was no sign of forced entry, and a back door was unlocked.

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Burglars broke into a garage near 49th and Tripp and stole a brick cutter and a soldering machine. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 21-year-old woman, at 5:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 27.

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