Dating-site pepper-sprayer arrested
Police arrested a 40-year-old Oak Park man who allegedly pepper sprayed the eyes of a woman he met on a dating website and screamed, “Bitch, I’m gonna blind you tonight!” then tried to steal her purse. The victim, 44, told police she met David Bouie, who introduced himself as “Larry” on a Christian dating website called Plenty of Fish. The two agreed to meet for drinks, the evening of July 11, but Bouie told the woman he needed to check his laundry and led her into a building in the 7300 block of Circle Avenue. The victim noticed the machines were all empty. When another woman entered the area, the two went across the street and had several drinks.
Bouie invited her to his “apartment” but when another tenant walked into the hall, he pretended to receive a call from his daughter. He allegedly walked the victim into the stairwell with his hand around her waist and when they were alone, sprayed her in the eyes and struggled to snatch the purse. The woman screamed for help and banged on apartment doors as her assailant fled. Police recalled a similar incident in 2011. Bouie was traced by his cellphone number and taken into custody, July 11. He was charged with aggravated battery and robbery.
Walmart lifting
A woman told Forest Park police on July 7 that she was standing in line at the Walmart, 1300 Desplaines Ave., around 11:30 p.m. and realized her blue fake-leather bi-fold wallet was missing from the open purse in the back of her shopping cart. Security footage later showed a woman behind her in line who may have reached into the purse and removed the wallet, but it was unclear. Inside the wallet was a driver’s license, a money order for $950, and $600 in cash, the victim said.
Another victim said he put his Police brand sunglasses, worth $300, down on the customer service counter at Walmart around 4 p.m., June 23, and walked away. Video showed another customer helping himself to the sunglasses shortly thereafter.
Searching for Blanche?
A woman told police a stranger came to her door in the 800 block of Beloit, introduced himself as “Kowalski” and claimed he was there to check the water. While inside the house, “Kowalski” turned on the tap and asked the owner if she could change a $100 bill. When she said no, he left. Nothing was missing, that she could tell, according to police. The fake water man was described as around 45 with a goatee, about 6 feet tall, wearing a white polo shirt and khaki pants. Village hall told the victim there was no one by that name employed by Public Works.
Cellphone chat costs a license
A 38-year-old Chicago man driving a Ford Escape while speaking on a cellphone came to police attention near the 7600 block of Roosevelt Road around 4:24 p.m., July 8. Police curbed the Ford, found his license suspended, took the license and made a family member drive him home with two citations.
Combo sandwich with crack
A strange purple paper sticking out of a Portillo’s beef and sausage combo sandwich in the driver’s lap — plus his nervously shaking hands — alerted officers to the fact that there might be contraband material in his 2003 Saturn. Police curbed the car around 4:11 p.m., July 9, near the Harlem/I-290 entrance ramp. Officers noted the driver was not wearing a seatbelt and had numerous cellphones tweeting and chirping in the center console. When police asked for permission to search the car — and the sandwich — they asked the driver what was under the beef and sausage. He replied “a napkin.” When police asked him to remove the napkin, they found it contained a purple edged plastic bag with nine small baggies inside containing a white substance that later tested positive for crack. The driver, who also had a suspended license, was arrested and charged with narcotics possession and felony driving with license suspended.
Bulging disk and wad of cash
A man claiming he was just smoking pot because of his “bulging disk” problems was observed trying to light up a cannabis pipe while driving south on the 800 block of Desplaines around 10 a.m., July 9. He told police he and his female colleague worked together at a restaurant and were on their way to Ultra Foods to buy food for work. Police recovered 7 ounces of marijuana from his vehicle wrapped in plastic bags. A K-9 drug-sniffing dog discovered a wad of $6,000 from the car and another $774 from his pockets. The driver, a 38-year-old Cicero man, explained he was hoping to buy a car at an auction that day and needed the cash. He claimed he did not use banks. He was charged with possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia, as well as operating an uninsured motor vehicle. The cash was seized. His mother bonded him out.
Come and get it
A man who rented a 2013 Chevy Malibu from Enterprise Rent-A-Car was identified by police as a “nefarious” member of the Unknown Vice Lords street gang. The 26-year-old customer rented the car on June 26 from the branch in the 7600 block of Roosevelt Road, but the company said he ignored phone calls and registered letters demanding the Malibu’s return. Police said he had a criminal history from the Illinois Dept. of Corrections for weapon offenses, larceny, dangerous drugs, and possession of stolen property.
Thefts and mischief
Someone plucked an iPhone from a dozing passenger on the Blue Line, July 4 around 2:30 a.m., between the Austin and Desplaines stations, the victim told police. Loss was reported as $150.
Graffitists with a fancy for the “crown” symbol of the Latin Kings decorated several Forest Park STOP signs in the 1400 block of Elgin, July 9. Cops also noted the word “war!” on one sign. Public Works was summoned to solvent them away.
A catalytic converter was cut from the back of a 2000 Chevy Cavalier while it was parked in the village parking lot at 711 Desplaines Ave., July 10. Loss was estimated at $500.
A woman told police the front tire on her 2013 Toyota Corolla, parked in the 700 block of Brown Avenue, suffered a slashed front tire and scratches on top of the trunk, overnight July 8-9. She complained it was the second time her tires had been slashed.
A secured men’s 26-inch Schwinn Sidewinder mountain bike was removed from the CTA Green Line station between 2 p.m., July 6 and 1 a.m., July 7. Loss was estimated at $149.
Slumped at the wheel
Police arrested a 34-year-old man from Montgomery, July 12, after finding him slumped at the wheel of his 1997 Chevy Cavalier in the Thornton’s gas station parking lot at 601 Harlem Ave. around 4 p.m. The man had a hypodermic needle in his arm and a wire wrapped around it for a tourniquet. Police recovered 38 plastic zip-lock bags containing an off-white powdery substance that later tested positive for heroin. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance and the Cav was towed.
Burglaries
An apartment dweller in the 7200 block of Randolph heard a loud noise in his bedroom around 6:05 p.m., July 12, and then found his bedroom door was locked from the inside. He broke open the door and found his dresser drawers ransacked and change missing from his bureau. A window leading to the parking lot was open, he told police.
A burglary victim in the 100 block of Rockford Avenue told police he returned to his apartment, July 13, after being away for two days and found it completely ransacked. Every drawer and cabinet had been rifled through and the couch had been cut open. Missing were an iPad air tablet, a Gateway laptop computer and a 27-inch LG television.
These items were obtained from the records of the Forest Park Police Department, July 6-13, 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
