Not 20 minutes after a convenience store clerk smacked a thief above the left eye as he made off with a handful of sandwiches, police received a phone call from the suspect requesting treatment for the injury, according to a police report.
Shortly after 2 a.m. on July 25, authorities were called to the 7-Eleven at 205 Harlem Ave. where the cashier reported a man had just made off with six sandwiches stuffed into his pants. In an effort to stop the thief, the cashier told police he used the stick attached to the store’s bathroom key and struck the offender above the left eye, opening up a cut, according to the report.
A search of the area turned up nothing, but 17 minutes after arriving at the 7-Eleven, dispatchers received a call from 24-year-old Dwight L. Mitchell. According to police, Mitchell claimed to have been in a fight with a friend and was bleeding from the head. Authorities were suspicious and arrested the Forest Park man, then brought him back to the recently robbed store where the cashier identified him as the sandwich thief.
Mitchell was cited with a local ordinance violation because the value of the allegedly stolen sandwiches totaled only $18. He was later brought to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries.
Alleged addict facing felony
A man who had been parked at a Washington Street gas station for some 40 minutes was arrested on a felony drug charge shortly after 10 p.m. on July 29 when police interrupted him while he was injecting heroin, according to a department report.
David R. Nichols, 38, of Round Lake, was sitting in his 2007 Hummer at the BP station at 7204 Washington St. when authorities were called to investigate. According to an incident report, police saw Nichols holding a syringe perpendicular to his right forearm with his left hand as they approached the car.
Two packets of heroin were allegedly found under a front seat inside the car. The total weight of the drugs was .2 grams.
Nichols allegedly confessed to having an addiction to opiates and that he had been abusing prescription drugs. For the past two weeks, Nichols allegedly told police, he has been using six bags of heroin each day.
Cabbie beaten on Madison Street
A cab driver who said he was simply waiting for an early morning fare was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked by three individuals on Madison Street.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on July 27 police from Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Park responded to 7431 Madison St. where they chased several suspects on foot along Burkhardt Court before losing sight of them in an alley behind 7500 Madison St. Meanwhile, the alleged victim of the attack told authorities he was standing outside of his taxi when an argument erupted with three males who were walking by.
One of the individuals punched him in the face, forcing him to the ground where he was kicked by all three. Patrons at the nearby Doc Ryan’s bar witnessed the attack and rushed outside at the same time police were arriving.
Joseph D. Broz, 20, was charged with battery for his alleged role after police matched him with a description provided by the cab driver. Authorities found him at 314 Circle Ave. and brought him back to the scene where the alleged victim identified Broz as one of the attackers. In his statements to police, Broz denied any involvement and said he had been out with friends that evening.
Suspected batterer charged again
A man who was arrested on July 1 for domestic battery was again taken into police custody after family members of the alleged victim asked police to protect the woman while she moved her possessions out of an apartment she shares with the suspect.
Nasim Sayyid, 53, of 1143 Lathrop Ave., is facing a single count of domestic battery for allegedly striking his wife in the face during an altercation on July 23. At approximately 4 a.m. that day, police were called to the address and spoke with the woman’s brother, who said his sister was afraid to contact authorities on her own.
According to a statement given to police, Sayyid “has a tendency to monitor her phone calls.”
The alleged victim told police that charges filed on July 1 in connection with a similar incident were dropped “out of fear of retaliation.” Authorities noted they did not observe any markings on the woman’s face that would indicate she had recently been struck.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between July 23 and July 30, 2007 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 Josh Adams
