A CTA supervisor reported to police on Dec. 29 that Richard Jansczek had been sleeping on a Blue Line train when the operator announced that everyone must exit the train upon its arrival at the Forest Park station. A passenger tapped Jansczek in an attempt to wake him, and in response Jansczek became violent.

He allegedly followed the passenger who had awoken him off the train saying “come on up, I have something for you,” while holding a green box cutter.

Jansczek was arrested for aggravated assault, and police found two more box cutters while searching him.

Identity theft

On Dec. 23, a Forest Park man reported receiving a call from a friend who said he had been contacted by Chrysler Financial, a collection agency, in regards to late payments on a vehicle purchased from Jerry Gleason Dodge dealership in September 2002.

The man was named as the purchaser of the vehicle, while his friend was apparently named as a co-signer for the purchase. A representative from Chrysler Financial told the man that their records indicated that he was three payments behind on a Dodge Neon purchased in 2002, which the man said he had never purchased.

A representative from the company’s fraud unit told the man that his Social Security number had been used for the purchase. The bill of sale listed an address of 2752 S. Tripp Ave., Chicago, and the man reported driving by that address and spotting a black Neon in the driveway, along with another truck. He was able to get the truck’s license number, and police identified the man to whom it was registered.

Attempted robbery

An unknown offender attempted to force entry to a home on the 1500 block of Harlem Avenue on the night of Dec. 23 using a pry bar. According to police, the offender damaged the door and frame to the home and pried the dead bolt lock, but did not gain entry. The offenders also allegedly placed a piece of paper over a neighbor’s peephole. The victim reported that she was asleep at the time of the incident. She said she woke up briefly after hearing a loud pop, but went back to sleep soon after.

Drunk driver arrested

Police responded to a call on Dec. 23 reporting that a red Ford Aerostar had struck several parked cars. The car was spotted at a red light heading southbound on Harlem Avenue toward the Eisenhower, and had damage to its front end and front passenger side quarter panel.

Police pulled the car over after the driver, Francisco Javier of Chicago, failed to use his turn signal while changing lanes. According to police, Javier struck the curb several times before finally stopping at Harlem Avenue and Lexington Avenue.

He was ordered to exit the car, and police noticed that he smelled strongly of alcohol and saw an empty bottle of Corona on the driver’s side floor board, as well as a closed bottle on the front seat.

The man later failed his field sobriety tests, and a breathalyzer showed a blood alcohol level of .199.

Angry girlfriend breaks windshield

Police responded to a disturbance call from a home on the 7300 block of Circle Avenue on Dec. 28. The resident said that he and Benita Morton of Bellwood had been dating on and off for several years, and that after an argument earlier that day she called him demanding that he return several gifts she had purchased for him.

When she arrived at the home, he told her that he had left the gifts outside in a bag, and refused to let her in the apartment. He then saw Morton walk to her car and allegedly retrieve two bricks, then walk to the south side of the building, where his car was parked. He ran out and snatched the bricks from her hands, and then went inside to call police.

While inside, he saw her walk back to her car and retrieve a black carjack. She then walked back into the parking lot and allegedly smashed the man’s windshield, leaving three holes.

Morton was arrested for criminal damage to property.

These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Dec. 22 and Dec. 28, 2005 and represent only 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 Seth Stern