A man entered Starbucks coffee shop, 7231 Madison St., on the morning of Feb. 26 and asked a cashier for change. When he was told that Starbucks employees are not permitted to make change, he asked to purchase some candy. The cashier then rung up the purchase and opened the cash register, and the man reached over the counter and grabbed money from the register.
He exited the store on Elgin Street and ran northbound, escaping with an estimated $250. The man is described as a 35-year-old black male standing about five feet seven inches tall and weighing 140 pounds, with a scar under his right eye. He was wearing a green sweatshirt with an orange stripe across the chest, blue jeans, and a black White Sox cap which was knocked off his head when a Starbucks assistant manager attempted to stop him from exiting the store.
Man returns car, steals it back
On Feb. 9, a manager at Park Plaza Dodge, 7911 Roosevelt Rd., discovered that a check recently used to purchase a 2006 Dodge Charger had been returned due to insufficient funds. Upon further research, he determined that much of the information provided during the purchase was false.
The individual who had purchased the car, he determined, was not its main driver, but he was able to contact the driver, who he identified as “Derrick.” He convinced Derrick to return the car to the dealership on Feb. 24, where it would remain until it was paid for.
Three days later, however, the manager came to work to find the car missing. A surveillance videotape showed that at 6:56 a.m. on Feb. 27, a black Chrysler Concord pulled into the dealership, and pulled alongside the Charger. A man who the manager believes is Derrick then got out, entered the Charger and drove away.
The car was entered into the LEADS database for stolen vehicles.
Police nab chewing gum bandit
A man matching the description of a suspect in a retail theft at Walgreen’s, 7200 Roosevelt Rd., was arrested on Feb. 28.
A Walgreen’s employee said that the man, identified as Reginald E. Wellere of the 900 block of Thomas Ave., entered the store with a backpack and a newspaper, then proceeded to the candy aisle and began to “jam gum into the bag.”
Wellere was found running westbound on the 7300 block of Fillmore St., and his backpack was found on the 1100 block of Elgin Ave, containing a newspaper and 45 10-packs of Wrigley’s gum.
The man told police that he had stolen gum from the store in the past, and typically takes the merchandise to a liquor store on the West Side of Chicago where he sells it at half price.
Bartender caught
serving liquor after hours
A police officer passing Horan’s Snug, 7218 Madison St., at about 4:05 a.m. on Feb. 25 discovered the bar’s Elgin Street entrance open, and noticed that one of the bar’s front windows was covered with a white material.
The officer entered to find bartender Terese Perisin behind the bar, with several patrons inside. He noticed an empty beer bottle on the bar and saw one patron hide an open beer bottle in his jacket, enter the bar’s restroom, and then emerge without the bottle.
Perisin told police that the bar’s owner had just left, and that the remaining patrons were waiting for her to close up so they could walk her home and ensure that she got home safely.
She received a citation for a local ordinance violation for serving alcohol between the hours of 3 and 7 a.m. on a Saturday and was told that she cannot obstruct the view into the bar from the street.
Disorderly bar patron
Tasered during arrest
Police found Brandon Barnes, 23, of Chicago with his shirt off and yelling in front of The Pines Oak Leaf Lounge, 7412 Harrison St., on Feb. 26. Officers attempted to calm him down, but Barnes swung his fists in the direction of officers, leading them to physically restrain him and place him in custody.
Barnes swore at the officers and refused to enter a police squad car, stiffening his body so that he could not be placed in the car. He was Tasered with a 2-second stun to the neck, and then taken into custody without further incident.
Barnes’ girlfriend told police that she and Barnes had argued and that some shoving had occurred, but said she was not hurt and declined to press charges.
Another witness said that Barnes had pushed the woman to the ground and kicked her.
Barnes was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between Feb. 25 and March 5, 2006 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
