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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Three South Side men are in custody after they allegedly burglarized a home near 58th
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| Hall |
and Monitor shortly after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Eric C. Harris, 27, of 66th and Damen; and Jesse Hall Jr., 25, and Tony L. Jelks, 22, both of 66th and Green, are currently held on $125,000 bond and are set to appear in court on November 12 at 26th and California.
Police said that an alert neighbor who saw the trio’s vehicle facing the wrong way on a street near 58th and Monitor called 911. The same neighbor said the trio was spotted carrying items from a nearby home and loading it into their vehicle.
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| Harris |
Responding to the “burglary in progress” call, a police unit spotted a vehicle matching the description near Archer and Central and followed it as it turned south on Central, according to the police report.
Police said they tailed the vehicle for more than three miles before it crashed near 43rd and Cicero, with the driver and passengers bailing out and fleeing on foot and running east into the Sleepy Hollow section of the Archer Heights neighborhood.
Police pursued and apprehended Hall in the alley behind 4317 S. Kilpatrick. They said they arrested Harris after they found him hiding in a garage at 4304 S. Kilpatrick. Jelks was taken into custody after police saw him sitting on the front porch of a home at 4322 S. Keating, and neighbors said he did not live there.
All three suspects were positively identified by the Garfield Ridge neighbor, police reported,
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| Jelks |
adding that they found items in the abandoned vehicle belonging to the Garfield Ridge burglary victim, an 89-year-old man. Those items included a TV and remote control, two wallets and two boxes containing jewelry. They were returned to their owner.
The neighbor who called 911 was praised publicly by Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch President Al Cacciottolo, who gave “a big shout out” and also praised Eighth District police for pursuing and apprehending the three suspects.
“Thank God this community looks out for one another,” Cacciottolo said. “This is what police say at CAPS meetings and what we say at neighborhood watch meetings, again and again. If you see something that looks suspicious, call 911 right away and give police the opportunity to at least check it out.”
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Burglars entered La Michoacana, 4336 S. Pulaski, and stole a cash register and $2,000 cash. The crime was discovered by an employee at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. Police said they saw no sign of forced entry.
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| 4336 S. Pulaski |
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A robber fired a shot into the floor as he robbed Kwik Mart, 4047 W. 79th St., at 9:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19. The robber used his gun at one point to hit a clerk in the back of the head. He made off with $1,200 cash and fled in an unknown direction. He was described as a black man age 18-27, 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, medium complexion, wearing a blue bandanna over his face, and wearing a black puffy vest over a gray hoodie.
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A 25-year-old Ashburn man was robbed of his cell phone by a trio of bandits as he walked just west of 59th and Kostner at 4:19 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, on his way to his job as a baggage handler at Midway Airport. The three men were described as a black men age 20-22, 5-foot-9 and 145 pounds, with brown eyes and medium complexions.
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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 815 or 821 (see map), come to St. Bruno School (south entrance) at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 4. 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.
A 17-year-old Archer Heights boy was pushed to the ground, punched, kicked and robbed on a sidewalk near 51st and Hamlin at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. The two offenders stole his wallet, cell phone and $50 cash, the victim said. The bandits were described only as black men about 5-foot-6.
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A 23-year-old West Lawn woman succeeded in fighting off another woman who tried to take her purse at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 in the alley behind 7149 S. Lawndale. The victim was scratched up but managed to hang onto her purse. The empty-handed suspect fled into a waiting, dark green vehicle, driven by another woman, which sped away. The would-be robber was described as a Hispanic woman age 25-27, 5-foot-1 and 140 pounds, with brown eyes, and black hair in a pony tail.
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A 15-year-old Brighton Park boy was robbed on the street near 57th and Pulaski at 7:20 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. A pair of bandits asked him, “What you be?” before they took his cell phone and fled west on 57th Street. They were described as Hispanic men age 18-20, about 5-foot-7 and 150 pounds.
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Burglars entered a garage near 58th Place and Komensky and stole assorted power tools. The victim, a 46-year-old man, said his son saw the offender running down the alley with the stolen belongings. Police later found two of them—a nail gun and a battery pack—in a nearby blue recycling cart. There was no sign of forced entry, and the offender was described as a Hispanic man age 18-22, 5-foot-7 with curly black hair.
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Burglars entered a home near 62nd and Kildare and stole a TV, two video game consoles, assorted jewelry and $500 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman, when she came home from work at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21.
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A burglar forced open the overhead door of a garage near 55th Place and Central Park and stole assorted tools, a power washer and 10 car batteries. The crime was reported to police by the victim, a 30-year-old man, at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. He said his son saw the offender fleeing in a gray vehicle. The burglar was described as a Hispanic man age 30, 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds, with short black hair and a light complexion.
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Burglars entered a garage near 68th and Karlov and stole assorted clothes, assorted DVDs, dishes and a canopy. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 59-year-old woman, at 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23.
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A 43-year-old Clearing man told police that someone burglarized his apartment near 64th Place and Austin. He discovered the crime at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 when he came home from work and saw pry marks on the front door. It was unclear what, if anything, had been stolen.
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Burglars forced open the service door of a garage near 56th and Parkside and stole a weed whacker and an edger. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 65-year-old man, at 7 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19.
Burglars forced open the service door of a garage near 56th and Massasoit and stole a lawn mower and hand tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, an 83-year-old woman, at 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19.
Burglars entered the service door of a garage near 56th and Parkside and stole a leaf blower. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 71-year-old woman, at 8 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19.
