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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An armed robber made off with $120 after hitting the Back To Nature health store, 5098 South Archer, at 1:20 p.m. Tuesday, February 12.

5098 South Archer

According to the victim, a 59-year-old clerk at the store, the robber walked in and posed as a customer. He asked for a jar of warming paste and was given one. He then followed the clerk behind the counter, pulled a pistol and demanded money.

He fled on foot west on Archer. The thug was described as a white man age 30-35, 5'8 to 5'11 and 170-180 pounds, wearing a dark blue skull cap, dark blue sweatshirt and dark blue pants.

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Two women were arrested by police at 11:35 a.m. Wednesday, February 13 after they reportedly were caught burglarizing a home near 57th and Neenah. Police said that the pair smashed a glass panel on a rear door of the home, entered and stole various items before fleeing.

CPD is currently declining to release additional details because "...the area detectives are still actively working the case" and that mug shots and details of charges "...are not available at this time due to the ongoing investigation."

Several individuals who say they have additional information relating to the case have posted comments in several Facebook groups. One woman said that police recovered items that were stolen in other burglaries, including one (described below) that occurred in Clearing at her mother's home.

Another woman who identified herself as a sister of the woman who owns the home broken into near 57th and Neenah wrote that the two women arrested  "...had their car filled with items stolen from the home. An off-duty detective neighbor tackled one of them as they were running away...because of earlier sightings and 911 calls about females knocking on doors for money to buy baby diapers , the cops where on alert! They were driving around in an old black Ford Explorer." She also wrote that the women arrested are in their 20s and are from suburban Cicero.

The Southwest Chicago Post will confirm/share additional details when CPD does.

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Burglars entered the front door of a home near 64th and Leclaire and stole two TVs, a jewelry box, assorted jewelry and heart and diabetes medications.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 62-year-old woman, when she returned home at about 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 12 after being away from her house for only an hour.

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Burglars forced open the side door of a home near 65th and Kilpatrick and stole a laptop computer.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 66-year-old woman, when she returned home from work at 3:45 p.m. Tuesday, February 12.

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Burglars smashed the back window of a house near 53rd and Ridgeway, entered and stole a TV, three iPods, an iPad, an earbuds set, assorted jewelry, three laptop computers, an Xbox video game console and 15 games, and $800 cash.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 37-year-old woman, when she returned home from work at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 12.

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A 20-year-old West Lawn man delivering pizzas for the Giordano's at 63rd and Cicero was robbed in an apartment building at 6639 South Sacramento at 4:50 p.m. Monday, February 11.

Three teens---one of whom pulled a snub-nosed revolver---stole four sausage pizzas and a box of buffalo wings before running away south on Sacramento.

The young thugs are described as two black boys age 14-18, 5'4 to 5'6 and 130-140 pounds; and a black girl age 11-13, 5'4 to 5'5 and 130-145 pounds, long black hair.

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Burglars entered the unlocked basement window of an apartment near 63rd and Natchez and stole two TVs and a laptop computer.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 31-year-old man, when he came home from work at 4:30 p.m. Monday, February 11.

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A 25-year-old West Elsdon woman who refused to surrender her purse to a thug was punched in the face twice in a crime that occurred at 10:55 a.m. Sunday, February 10 in a parking lot at 5130 South Pulaski.

The victim told police she was walking to her car when the attacker grabbed her from behind and tried to snatch her purse.

After failing to steal her purse, he punched her and jumped into a gray Hyundai driven by another man. The car sped away.

The woman declined medical attention and described her attacker as a white Hispanic man age 20-25, 5'6 and 160 pounds, brown eyes, black hair, light complexion, wearing a black do-rag, a black hoodie and gray sweatpants.

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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 62nd and Parkside and stole a seven-drawer toolbox filled with tools, worth an estimated $1,200.

The burglars also opened the overhead door by using the emergency-release cord.

The crime was discovered by the victim, a 37-year-old man, at 4:00 a.m. Monday, February 11.

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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 811 (see map), come to Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 19. 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.

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