Crime News Update

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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A 40-year-old Garfield Ridge man was arrested on Monday, July 9 after he allegedly beat his 65-year-old neighbor.

Martin Dooley was charged with a count of misdemeanor battery. Police had sought charges on a felony count of aggravated battery, because the victim is a senior citizen. However, according to CPD News Affairs, the office of Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez declined.

(Editor's note: The Southwest Chicago Post contacted Alvarez's office on Thursday afternoon for an explanation. Our request was acknowledged quickly; but 24 hours later, we still have not received an explanation.)

The victim, a retiree, was reportedly cleaning up broken glass in and around his daughter's car, parked in front of his home near 57th and Mayfield at 10:28 a.m. According to the victim, Dooley walked over from his home across the street and became aggressive and verbally abusive. He demanded a cigarette and began tugging on the victim's shorts.

He then allegedly threw the victim to the ground, jumped on top of him and began punching him in the mouth. He also reportedly hit the victim in the head with the bucket before getting up and walking back to his house.

Police responding to a "battery in progress" call found Dooley at his home and arrested him without incident.

The victim was bleeding and given first aid by the Chicago Fire Department. His head wound required stitches, according to police, but he refused to be transported to a hospital.

Police said that the day before the attack---Sunday, July 8---Dooley was arrested for criminal damage to property. A neighbor told police that at about 11:30 p.m. she saw Dooley trespassing in the 65-year-old victim's back yard, using a pry tool to force open a basement window, and kicking in the basement window.

He then allegedly walked through the gangway to the front of the victim's home and used the tool to smash the driver's side window of a 2002 Dodge Neon belonging to the victim's 30-year-old daughter.

He was arrested by police shortly afterwards at his home across the street.

(Editor's note: Because Dooley was charged with a misdemeanor offense, no Chicago Police Department mug shot is available.)

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Burglars kicked in the rear door of a residence near 54th and Springfield, ransacked the first-floor and basement apartments, and stole a total of two TVs, a digital camera, a Sony PlayStation 3 video game console, a laptop computer, three gold necklaces, a pair of diamond earrings, a gold watch, 20 Chicago White Sox baseball caps, and $1,000 cash.

The crime was discovered by one of the victims, a 19-year-old woman, when she came home from a dental appointment at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 10.

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A 33-year-old West Lawn man told police that five burglars stole a lawnmower and a tool set from his garage near 59th and Karlov.

At about 3:15 p.m. Monday, July 9, the man ran into 59th Street and flagged down police to report the crime. He described the offenders only as three white Hispanic men and two white women riding in a brown Chevy Blazer.

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Burglars broke through the overhead door of a garage near 54th and Neenah and stole a 25-foot aluminum ladder belonging to a local real estate firm.

The crime was discovered at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, July 7 by a 60-year-old Garfield Ridge man who manages the property.

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A 46-year-old woman walking outside to check her garage near 50th and Kedvale at 2:15 a.m. Monday, July 9 said she saw a burglar walking out the service door---and fleeing on foot when he saw her.
She told police that the offender had stolen her wallet out of her car, which was parked in the garage. She had left the driver's side window down. In her wallet, she said, were several credit cards, as well as her matricula card.

She described the burglar as a black man, 5'11 and 160 pounds, with black hair.

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If you live in Garfield Ridge and want to prevent crime and build a better neighborhood, please attend the next meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, set for 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 16 at Valley Forge Park, 7001 West 59th Street. Scheduled guest speaker is 23rd Ward Alderman Michael R. Zalewski and judicial candidate Elizabeth Hayes. For more information, visit www.garfieldridgenw.com.

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