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.

* * *

Tony B. Walker

A 29-year-old admitted gangbanger from the West Side's Austin neighborhood was arrested last week near 47th and Kolin for unlawful possession of a weapon.

Tony B. Walker is scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court First Municipal District Branch 48, 151 West 51st Street, on Thursday, September 20.

Police on patrol at 2:37 a.m. Thursday, September 13 reportedly saw Walker and a woman standing near the Citgo gas station at 4318 West 47th Street. Walker allegedly pulled a pistol out of his waistband and put it in the purse of the woman.

 

Walker reportedly denied ownership of the gun, which police found to be unregistered. The woman confirmed that Walker asked her to hold the gun in her purse.

Because of his prior felony convictions, Walker has been charged with being an armed habitual criminal.

* * *

Burglars broke into a vacant store at 5101 South Cicero and then punched two large holes in a wall to gain access to the adjacent Boost Mobile cell phone store.

The store's alarm was triggered at about 1:50 a.m. Thursday, September 13. The store manager told police that the criminals made off with an unknown number of cell phones. The manager has shared surveillance video with police.

As reported by the Southwest Chicago Post, the same store was burglarized twice within a seven hour period overnight on July 18-19.

* * *

Burglars broke through a rear overhead door and stole a power forklift and a truck loaded with about a thousand brown cardboard storage boxes from the Rudd Container Corporation warehouse, 4600 South Kolin.

The crime occurred around 1:30 a.m. Friday, September 14.

The truck, which bears the Rudd company logo, has Illinois license plate number P733524.

* * *

The scream of a 94-year-old woman apparently frightened off two burglars from a home near 48th and Laporte.

At about 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 11, the woman was in bed when she noticed two men in her hallway. She screamed and then hollered "Who are you?!" The men, who had gained access to the home by breaking in the front door, bolted and fled out a rear window.

They were seen fleeing by an 18-year-old neighbor, who described them to police as two black men ages 18-20.

There was no word on anything being stolen.

* * *

Burglars entered a garage near 54th and Luna and stole a snow blower and a sledgehammer.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 66-year-old woman, at 9:30 p.m. Monday, September 10. There was no sign of forced entry, according to police.

* * *

A 65-year-old man told police that someone had entered his basement apartment near 52nd and Lockwood and stole two bottles of vodka, a portable DVD player and $528 cash.

He discovered the crime at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, September 8. There was no sign of forced entry, and he told police that his landlord does have access to the apartment.

* * *

Burglars forced open the side door of a home near 81st and Komensky and stole a jewelry box and assorted jewelry worth about $1,000.

The crime was discovered by the victim, an 85-year-old woman, when she came home at 6:00 p.m. Monday, September 10.

* * *

A 29-year-old gangbanger from Brighton Park was shot six times (five in the stomach, once in the upper right leg) at about 3:00 a.m. Sunday, September 16 on the street in front of 4869 South Archer (at Avers).

The victim was a passenger in an eastbound vehicle driven by a 29-year-old woman from suburban Woodridge. Another vehicle (a gold Chevy Blazer) pulled alongside; its driver shouted a gang slogan and fired at the victim before fleeing east.

The woman drove north on Hamlin before losing control of her vehicle and slamming into three parked cars.

The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital.

The shooter was described as a white Hispanic man, about age 27.

* * *

A 43-year-old woman watering her lawn near 60th and Kildare was robbed of a gold chain at noon Friday, September 14.

She told police that a teenage girl (about age 15-17) was sitting on a nearby fire hydrant, watching her. She sprang forward and after a struggle snatched a gold chain off the victim's neck before running east on 60th Street.

The criminal was described as a white Hispanic, 5'4 to 5'6 and 150-160 pounds, black hair in a ponytail, olive complexion.

* * *

Burglars forced open a rear basement door of a home near 49th and Kolin and stole two laptop computers and an Apple iPad.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 24-year-old woman, when she came home at 11:40 a.m. Thursday, September 13.

* * *

Burglars pried open the side door of a home near 49th and Leamington and stole a laptop computer, a PlayStation2 video game console, three Coach purses and a pair of Coach sunglasses.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 28-year-old man, when he came home from work at 3:00 p.m. Thursday, September 13. The victim told police he suspects a neighbor of the crime.

* * *

Burglars broke through a rear window of a house near 52nd and Lockwood and stole a clothes dryer---hauling it out through the back door.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 55-year-old woman, at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, September 13.

* * *

Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beats 813 or 833 (see map above), come to West Lawn Park at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 25. Hear updates on crime in your neighborhood and learn how you can work with neighbors and police to make the community safer and better for all.

# # #