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 the western section of the district. 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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Charge man with sexual assault of child
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| Jose Silva |
A 54-year-old Chicago Lawn man was charged with criminal sexual assault of a minor and was due in court earlier this week.
Jose D. Silva, of the 3500 block of West 66th Street, was arrested without incident on the 6200 block of South Oak Park, at 8:30 a.m. Monday, July 16.
Police said Silva sexually assaulted a child younger than age 13, from September 2010 to June 2014, in a home in the 3500 block of West 66th Street. They declined to disclose further details.
Claim Bridgeview man cut man’s face
A 51-year-old Bridgeview man was charged with battery after he allegedly cut a 43-year-old
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| Ervin Schlosser |
man’s face in an incident that occurred at about 8:50 p.m. Sunday, July 8 on the street in front 3951 W. Columbus.
Ervin Schlosser, of the 8200 block of South 76th Avenue, was apprehended at the scene and is due in court at 51st and Wentworth on July 30.
Police said the victim was cut with “an unknown cutting instrument” and refused medical attention.
According to public records, Schlosser has been arrested four times by CPD in the past year, on such charges as criminal trespass to state land and obstruction of traffic by a non-motorist.
Armed bandit hits Burger King
An armed bandit robbed the Burger King at 3220 W. Columbus at 6:24 p.m. Sunday, July 22. A manager told police that the man posed as a customer before pulling a pistol and saying, “Give me the money from the register.” A cashier handed over about $200, and the thug ran away south on Kedzie. He was described as a black man age 18-25, about 5-foot-7 and 120 pounds, with brown eyes and a medium complexion. He wore a black hoody and dark blue jeans.
Construction worker robbed at gunpoint
A 63-year-old construction worker was robbed at gunpoint as he sat in his truck at 4600 S. Kedzie at 5:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 18. The victim told police that two thugs walked up, with one pulling a pistol and demanding his wallet. The victim complied, and the bandits ran away west into the alley behind Columbia Explorers Academy. They were described as black men age 18-25, about 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. They both wore dark-colored hoodies.
Charge Clearing man with possession of knife, drugs
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| Ryan Bowen |
A “suspicious person” call to police led to the arrest of a 24-year-old Clearing man in front of 6135 S. Oak Park at 10:10 a.m. Saturday, July 14.
Ryan Bowen, of the 6100 block of South Oak Park, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a deadly weapon.
Police said they recovered a knife from Bowen’s waistband, but they declined to say what the substance was.
According to public records, Bowen has been arrested eight times by CPD since 2014, on such charges as assault, reckless conduct, criminal trespass to vehicles and theft.
Claim man was in stolen vehicle near 59th and Neenah
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| Alejandro Rodriguez |
A 20-year-old Gage Park man was charged with criminal trespass to a vehicle after a stolen vehicle he was a passenger in crashed at about 12:45 p.m. Saturday, July 14 near 59th and Neenah.
Alejandro Rodriguez, of the 3500 block of West 58th Place, was apprehended at the scene.
A charge of reckless conduct was added after he was “observed running into traffic and running through individual private property” after the crash, police said.
According to public records, Rodriguez was arrested by CPD last fall on a robbery charge.
Bust West Sider after traffic stop in Garfield Ridge
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| Mark Chalmers |
A 39-year-old West Side man was arrested during a traffic stop in front of 5848 S. Mayfield at 7:47 p.m. Saturday, July 14.
Mark A. Chalmers, of the 700 block of North Sawyer, was charged with driving on a revoked license, lying to officers about his identity, driving without insurance and running a stop sign.
A charge of forgery was added after police found an undisclosed amount of counterfeit money on him, a CPD spokesman added.
According to public records, Chalmers was arrested by CPD earlier this year on a charge of criminal trespass to land.
Charge Clearing man with disrupting traffic
A 54-year-old Clearing man was charged with obstruction of traffic by a non-motorist after
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| Wayne Potenberg |
police apprehended him at 6301 S. Cicero at 4:42 p.m. Sunday, July 15.
Wayne R. Potenberg, of the 5200 block of West 64th Place, was “observed walking in between vehicles in the traffic lanes on Cicero Avenue, during traffic flow, causing vehicles to swerve to avoid striking him,” police said.
Additionally, they said Potenberg was wanted on a warrant, although they declined to disclose the nature of the warrant.
According to public records, Potenberg has been arrested five times since 2014, on such charges as domestic battery and possession of a controlled substance.
Woman charged with domestic battery again
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| Jeanette Rivera |
A 23-year-old West Elsdon woman was charged with domestic battery and violating an order of protection after she was arrested at 7:25 a.m. Monday, July 9 at 4029 W. 63rd St.
Jeanette Rivera “was placed into custody after she was involved in a verbal altercation with a relative who she has been ordered to stay away from,” police said. “After the verbal altercation, she struck the victim in the mouth with a closed fist, causing minor bruising.”
According to public records, Rivera has been arrested six times this year by CPD—three times for domestic battery.
Woman claims man touched her at carnival
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| Daniel Carillo |
A 26-year-old McKinley Park man was charged with misdemeanor battery after he allegedly touched an 18-year-old woman inappropriately while she was walking at the St. Symphorosa Family Fest, 62nd and Austin, at about 9:45 p.m. Sunday, July 15.
Daniel Carillo, of the 2400 block of West 34th Place, is due in court at 51st and Wentworth on Sept. 12.
Clearing man charged with domestic battery again
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| Joseph Holubek |
A 44-year-old Clearing man was charged with domestic battery after he allegedly hit a 16-year-old boy in the face during an argument in the 6100 block of South Austin at 11:05 a.m. Thursday, July 12.
Joseph Holubek, of the 6000 block of South Massasoit, was arrested the following day at his home.
According to public records, Holubek has been arrested five times by CPD in the past 15 months, four times on domestic battery charges.
More women busted in sweep of Cicero Avenue
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| Ina Noreen |
Two more women have been arrested in what appears to be a police sweep of streetwalking sex workers and others on Cicero Avenue, north of Archer—since CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson publicly vowed to the Archer Heights Civic Association that he would lead the way to eliminate prostitution for good in that area.
• Charged with soliciting a ride on the public way was 50-year-old Ina M. Noreen, of the 6300 block of Walnut, Downers Grove.
According to police, at about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, July 18 at 4856 S. Cicero, she was “observed by officers on direct patrol regarding complaints of prostitution on Cicero Avenue. She was seen motioning to cars, which slow down as they passed by. These actions are known to officers to be consistent with prostitutes plying their trade.”
• Charged with soliciting a ride on the public way was 39-year-old Katie E. Howard, of the
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| Katie Howard |
4500 block of South Lawler.
According to police, at about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday, July 18 at 4815 W. 49th St., she “was seen pacing back and forth along the roadway and waving down passing vehicles. Officers then observed a vehicle honk the horn and slow down, to which the offender quickly began to walk towards the vehicle. This behavior is known to officers to be consistent with prostitutes plying their trade.”
Thieves swipe pop crates from Pete’s
Thieves in a white Ford van stole about 50 plastic soda crates from behind Pete’s Fresh Market, 4700 S. Kedzie, at about 11:45 a.m. Sunday, July 22. A manager shared surveillance video with police and noted that the crates are worth about $3 each. The thieves were described Hispanic men about 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds, with long, dark hair and light complexions. The manager noted that thieves have stolen crates before from behind the store.
Burglar on bike takes cash from unlocked vehicle
A 52-year-old West Elsdon woman told police that her unlocked vehicle was burglarized as it sat parked in the street in the 5300 block of South Harding just after 5 p.m. Thursday, July 19. Police responding to a call of a suspicious person on a bicycle, checking car doors, were told by the victim that the burglar took about $75 from her vehicle. The burglar was described only as a boy or man age 15-18.
