Police caught a man who had been bonded out of Cook County jail earlier that same day removing a bicycle and leaf-blower from a garage in the 800 block of Harlem behind Mom’s Place Restaurant around 10:13 p.m. on May 22. As they rode down the alley, they allegedly noticed a bicycle lying on the ground and observed Tony T. McCallum, 43, of Forest Park exiting a garden shed, leaf blower in hand. When questioned, McCallum allegedly told them his aunt lived in the home and told police to “Get off my property.” Police recognized in his earlier arrest and his eight previous arrests for theft and burglary.
When police told McCallum they wanted to verify his story and walked toward the house, he allegedly responded with profanities and tried to flee. An officer unholstered his Taser X-26 and deployed the probes into McCallum, who yelled, “I’m having a heart attack!” The officers advised McCallum to stop resisting arrest, but he did not comply, so the officer tazed him again. At that point, McCallum was put into handcuffs.
Meanwhile, the owner of the house came out and allegedly exclaimed “That’s my leafblower! That’s my bike! He took that too!” The Black & Decker Vac’n’Mulch and 26-inch men’s Magna Great Divide bicycle were returned to him.
McCallum was taken to the station where he was charged with felony burglary and allegedly told police he steals to support a heroin habit.
These items were obtained from the records of the Forest Park Police Department, May 22-25, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anyone named in the report has only been charged with a crime.
– Compiled by Jean Lotus
