A man accused of robbing a Berwyn convenience store and trying to hijack a car is now facing a felony charge of home invasion in Forest Park.
According to a department report, police were searching the neighborhoods just north of Harlem and Roosevelt on May 20 for a man that Berwyn police said tried to steal a getaway car. While doing so, a woman flagged down Forest Park police to tell them of a man near her home matching the description of Berwyn’s suspect. That individual, 39-year-old Stephen Terrell, had forced his way into a home on the 1000 block of Harlem, the woman told police, and was frantically looking for a ride out of the area.
Police spoke with a mother of four young children who said Terrell had come running into her backyard and kicked the kitchen door open as she tried to shut it. With her frightened children huddled around her, the woman told Terrell she did not have a car, but would call him a cab. She instead called her husband, but Terrell caught on and took the phone from her, according to a report on the ordeal.
The woman, whose name was not released by investigators, then told Terrell that an upstairs neighbor could probably take him wherever he wanted to go. With children in tow, the two visited the neighbor who had a car.
The neighbor later told police she immediately sensed something was wrong. Terrell even flashed a handful of cash he had allegedly stolen in an effort to persuade her. Again Terrell was offered a taxi, and this time agreed to wait for the taxi in front of the building. When the cab arrived, Terrell was nowhere to be seen and that’s when the neighbor spotted police patrolling the area.
A few minutes later, Oak Park police took Terrell into custody about one block north on Harlem. When the two women were asked to identify the suspect as the man who had broken into their homes, Terrell reportedly pointed at one of the women and said, “That’s the lady that called the cab for me.”
No shootout during funeral
Forest Park police were given notice May 21 that a funeral service for a member of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang would be held on the 800 block of Desplaines Avenue, and that a shooting between rival gang members was expected. With the assistance of four neighboring departments, the crowd that had gathered for the service was dispersed without incident, according to a department report.
The shooting that was allegedly planned would have involved members of the deceased’s family, police said in their report. Chicago authorities contacted the suburban department regarding the funeral.
Passenger claims discount
During the morning commute May 21, a bus passenger was arrested at the Desplaines Avenue terminal for allegedly trying to use a military pass that did not belong to him. According to a department report, Leon Plaines, 23, said the pass belonged to his sister and that he was using it for the day. Plaines was taken into custody without incident and charged with theft of services.
Police seize suspect’s gun
Police took a 40-year-old Forest Park man into custody shortly after midnight May 20, charging him with domestic battery after he allegedly shoved and hit a woman during an argument over money.
Initially, the woman told police that Andre Harris had placed a gun to her head and threatened to kill her, however, she later changed her story. Authorities did find – and confiscate – a .38 caliber pistol from Harris, but the weapon was located in the trunk of the man’s car and it appeared it had not been disturbed for some time.
Harris told police he had been sleeping and then woke to find $20 missing from his wallet. An argument erupted and he decided to leave and stay at his mother’s, where he was eventually met by police.
Unlicensed cab gets tickets
A cab driver who had previously been warned that he needed a municipal license to solicit fares in Forest Park was cited with violating local ordinances, according to a police report.
Jiamo Germain, 52, of Berwyn, was parked in the lot outside of Dunkin Donuts on Madison May 20 trying to find business, police said. The lot is private property, and should not be used for this purpose, according to local regulations.
When an officer responding to a complaint about the cab recognized Germain, she issued citations for improperly soliciting fares and for not having a municipal license permitting him to do business in the village.
These items were taken from the records of the Forest Park Police Department between May 17 and May 21, 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
