In conjunction with the Illinois State Police and underage agents, Forest Park Police officers conducted an underage liquor sales sting operation on March 25, netting six violations for selling alcohol to minors.

The operation targeted 24 randomly selected establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and had 18- and 19-year-old agents attempt to purchase alcohol.

Of these, clerks at USA Beverage, 7200 Madison St.; Mugsy’s Tavern, 7640 Madison St.; Suburban Liquors, 7612 Madison St.; Kazzbarr, 7420 Madison St.; Randolph St. Depot, 201 Desplaines Ave.; and Francesca Fiore’s, 7407 Madison St. sold alcohol to the agents and were cited with a local ordinance violation for sale of alcohol to a minor.

There are 55 liquor licenses in Forest Park; of these, 49 are open for business on a daily basis, selling alcohol. Twenty-four were randomly selected for this operation, explained Detective Pete Morrissette with the Forest Park Police.

“We don’t cite the business, we cite the clerk,” Morrissette said, adding that any potential repercussions for the businesses involved are up to the village’s liquor commissioner, Mayor Anthony Calderone.

Calderone said he would not make any decisions until after the trial.

“As a general policy my office doesn’t do anything until they have gone to court, until there has been some adjudication,” Calderone said.

Funding for the operation was provided by the Illinois State Police and all cited clerks are required to appear in Local Ordinance/Parking Court at Village Hall on May 4 for a hearing.

Possession of controlled substance

• Andrew L. Daviston, 30, of the 1100 block of Harlem Avenue, Forest Park, was arrested on March 24 at approximately 9:30 p.m. after officers searched his house on a warrant and allegedly found 60 grams of a white rock-like substance believed to be rock cocaine.

An on-going narcotics investigation and surveillance had allegedly reveled that there were narcotics sales at Daviston’s residence and a search warrant was obtained for the premises. After obtaining the warrant, the Forrest Park Police Department’s Special Response Team executed a dynamic entry to the property and took Daviston into custody.

Officers allegedly recovered a .45 mm Ruger semi-automatic pistol, loaded with seven live rounds, one in the chamber. Also allegedly discovered were two clear plastic baggies with a rock-like substance officers believed to be consistent with the appearance and packaging of crack cocaine. The size and quantity of the seizure is allegedly known as an “eight ball.”

K9 units were used in the search.

Strong armed robbery

• A Forest Park female had her purse stolen at her apartment complex in the 300 block of Circle Avenue, after two unknown male assailants followed her into her building, pushed her down and took the black handbag.

The woman said she was walking back from the Forest Park National Bank on March 24 at approximately 3:20 p.m. and saw two men in their 20s, one wearing a blue jacket, in the parking lot at 320 Circle Avenue. The men followed her to the vestibule of her building and began pushing doorbells. After waiting a while, the woman said she used her key to open the door and told the men they would have to wait outside, but they followed her in and boarded the elevator with her. In the elevator, one of the men pushed her to the ground and grabbed her purse, then both exited the building and fled. In the purse were her VISA card, identification card, social security card, Forest Park library card, insurance cards and bank receipts.

Burglary to vehicle

• Unknown burglars stole car parts from a 2001 silver Chrysler Town and Country minivan parked at Currie Motors on Roosevelt Road. It is uncertain when the crime occurred, but the burglars took four chrome Chrysler rims, 20 chrome lug nuts, four air stems and four Michelin tires valued at $3,098 while the van was parked at the rear of the dealership lot.

Theft from person

•A Forest Park man reported unknown burglars broke into his 2002 white Ford 3500 van on March 23 between 12 and 2 p.m. while it was parked at 7241 W. Roosevelt Rd.

• A Berwyn female reported that unknown offenders took an envelope containing $1,700 from her coat pocket while she was shopping at A.J. Wright on the 7500 block of Roosevelt Road on March 25 at 8:52 p.m.

• A Forest Park man reported he was on the CTA train and placed his hearing aid, valued at $2,700 in a small box that resembles a jewelry box. Upon exiting the train on March 18 at approximately 5:45 p.m. he discovered unknown persons had removed the box from his coat pocket.

• A Forest Park woman reported that unknown persons stole her black Gucci purse containing $700, Master Card and identification card while she was unconscious outside her residence in the 1000 block of Beloit Avenue on March 22 at 1:30 p.m. The woman said she was exiting her entryway when she struck her head and rendered herself unconscious for approximately two minutes. When she awoke, her purse was missing.

 
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between March 18 and March 26 and represents a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in this report has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not yet been adjudicated.
“compiled by Melissa Lou