The owner of a business in the 7500 block of Madison Street was robbed and beaten around noon on Saturday, Aug. 5. A man described as black in his 20’s to 30s, 5 foot 9 to six feet tall and medium build, entered the business and demanded money.

“She resisted and tried to activate the ADT alarm trigger,” said Forest Park Police Chief Jim Ryan. “He then dragged her in the back and tried to tie her up.”

Unsuccessful in his attempts to control the woman, the man fled out the back after taking cash, a cell phone, and the alarm remote.

The woman declined medical assistance. The man had been seen by one witness just before the robbery appearntly casing the business prior to entering. Forest Park Police have issued composite photos and detailed descriptive information to area police departments, a copy of which is reproduced below. Anyone with information is asked to contact Forest park police at 708-366-2425.

Men harassing women

  • Thomas Derby, 42, of the 800 block of Beloit reportedly returned home “highly intoxicated” around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 6, and began yelling at his girl friend. Derby allegedly grabbed her, shook her and threw her down to the floor, then proceeded to bounce her head on the floor several times. Derby, who police say has a prior conviction for domestic battery, reportedly took the phone from the woman when she attempted to call police. For the next two hours, Derby allegedly periodically punched her and head butted her. The woman refused treatment after police arrived, despite a swollen eye and nose and a knot on her head.
  • Shortly before 3 a.m.last Saturday police reportedly found William Hambach, 42, of Oak Park, in the middle of the street yelling at a Forest Park woman and two other women. Hambach, who police say appeared heavily intoxicated, allegedly started making derogatory and sexually explicit remarks to the women as they walked by a bar on Madison. When they walked away, Hambach reportedly followed them and began waving his arms while making more derogatory comments, and threatening them if they wouldn’t talk with him.
  • Michael L. Edwards, 42, of Chicago, allegedly exposed his genitalia last week to a woman at the Forest Park pool. When asked by arresting police why someone would do what he did, Edwards reportedly replied, “People should mind their own business.”

Cracked windshield leads to gun seizure

An alert patrol officer noticed a cracked window on a car parked near Randolph and Rockford the night of Aug. 10. Upon approaching the 1990 Nissan, the officer noticed Christopher Coleman, 22, of Maywood allegedly attempt to cover something on the console with a kitchen-type towel. After spotting what looked to be the barrel of a rifle protruding from between the seats, he placed Coleman under arrest and inspected the car. He discovered a partially disassembled but loaded sawed-off shotgun, along with six additional shotgun shells in the armrest of the car.

Coleman allegedly told police that he was “CVL,” a Conservative Vice Lord street gang member, and that he needed the gun for protection.

Drug arrests

  • Nikola Stevlic, 28, of Elmhurst was pulled over after an alleged traffic violation in the 7200 block of 13th Street the evening of Aug. 10. The officer noticed rolled up currency in the driver’s door pocket. Aware that rolled bills are often used to ingest drugs, the officer asked Stevlic if he had any drugs on his person, and Stevlic allegedly said he had some in his pocket. Police recovered a foil packet from his pocket, and a second foil packet from his shoe after his arrest.
  • A 1996 Oldsmobile driven by Steven D. Damian, 20, of River Forest, was pulled over for speeding in the 7600 block of Randolph the afternoon of Aug. 7. Damian reportedly had no license on him, due to prior traffic citations. During questioning, police noticed a knotted baggie in the car that contained a white substance, later determined to be a controlled substance.
  • Nikhs M. Prabha, 19, of Des Plaines was found by police in the driver’s seat of a car that had collided with a parked car on the 300 block of Marengo around 2:30 a.m., Aug. 6. Prabha, who reportedly tested .020 on a breathalyzer test.

These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between August 5 and August 11, 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 been adjudicated.

Compiled by Bill Dwyer