Several television sets were found missing from Trage Bros. Appliances, 7440 Madison St., following a break-in reported early on the morning of May 2.
Officers found the store’s rear door shattered, and a 4-pound sledge hammer inside.
Owners said that an IBM laptop, which was used by store employees, had been removed from the store’s sales area. A display of five Audiovox brand TVs, valued at $447 each, were taken, as was a Sony brand 19-inch LCD TV, valued at $979, and a Samsung 15-inch LCD TV, valued at $447. Owners told police that a store inventory would be taken to determine the value of two other televisions that were also stolen.
Police Chief James Ryan said police had developed suspects in the burglary and were investigating the matter along with other police departments.
Driver found with heroin after car crash
Sgt. Michael Murphy found an empty 1999 Oldsmobile on the 7600 block of Jackson Boulevard with its airbags deployed and its front right corner resting against another parked car on May 3.
A witness told Murphy that a woman had crashed the car and walked away, and that he had missed her “by seconds.” Off. Andrea Caines then found a woman who matched the witness’ description, Tiffany Searles, 25, of Hillside, walking a block away from the accident site.
A name-check showed that Searles had a revoked driver’s license, and police found a bag containing a black, tar-like substance that later tested positive for heroin. A syringe and needle were found in the car, and a portable scale and a piece of paper labeled “Tar, 1gr” was found in her purse.
Searles admitted that she had been using intravenous drugs for about 10 years, and said she had wanted to try the tar variety of heroin to see how it was. She was charged with possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident, and leaving her car unattended, among other minor charges.
Man involved in domestic dispute found with PCP
Off. David Preiwisch responded to a call reporting an incident on the 1000 block of Troost Avenue on April 30 and found a man later identified as Gerry Davis standing beside a blue Ford in the driveway, yelling at the woman inside.
Davis, according to police, seemed intoxicated and visibly agitated, and ignored repeated requests to quiet down, telling police to leave his property. Instead of discussing what had happened with police, he called his mother and tried to hand them the phone.
Once Davis was separated from the woman and police were able to communicate with her, she told them that he had come home intoxicated and had head-butted her and unplugged the phones when she tried to call police.
She grabbed a kitchen knife to defend herself, and cut him above his eye, leaving a minor incision. She then got in her car and locked herself in, at which point he allegedly tried to push her out of the driveway with his Chevrolet Suburban, which was parked in front of the Ford.
When police arrested Davis for domestic battery and interfering with the report of a domestic battery, they found a bag of suspected marijuana which tested positive for the presence of PCP. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Bartender caught serving liquor after hours
Sgt. Eric Bell saw several people inside the Shortstop Lounge, 7425 W. Madison St., on April 30 after the bar’s required 3 a.m. weekend closing time.
Upon entering the bar, police found 6 to 8 individuals inside talking and drinking. The bartender told the patrons that it was time to leave, and police assisted in clearing the bar out.
The bartender, Craig W. Baade, 46, of Forest Park, acknowledged that he had received a verbal warning a few weeks ago from Sgt. Michael Murphy after the bar stayed open too late. The bartender received a local ordinance citation.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between April 30 and May 7 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
