Man chases down alleged  robber, recovers wallet

LC Camel, 19, of Forest Park, has been charged with one count of felony robbery and two counts of battery after allegedly attempting to rob a 28-year-old man in the 7500 block of Madison Street on July 13 around midnight. 

Camel reportedly approached the man and asked for a cigarette. When the victim agreed and pulled his wallet out of his pocket to get to the cigarettes, Camel forcefully grabbed the man’s wallet, according to police, and began to run away. 

The victim, who was just 5-foot-4 and 125 pounds gave chase and eventually pinned down the 6-foot tall, 160-pound Camel in the backyard of a residence in the 500 block of Beloit Avenue, but not before reportedly sustaining several punches to the face.  

When police officers arrived, the victim was bleeding from his mouth and nose and had a swollen left eye. All items reported stolen were recovered, police said. 

 Hit and Run

A 45-year-old Cicero woman has been charged with one count of vehicular hit and run after her 2004 purple Chrysler PT Cruiser rear-ended a 2014 black BMW M5 while driving southbound on Harlem Avenue near Franklin Street. 

The accident occurred on July 18 around 10 p.m. Although the woman and a male passenger initially exited their car to exchange information with the victim, the pair allegedly fled the scene after inspecting the damage. 

 Tough first day on the job

A 44-year-old man recently hired at a Forest Park restaurant/bar has been charged with two counts of battery. 

On July 15, the man’s first day of work, he allegedly arrived late for his shift at the restaurant, located in the 7700 Madison Street, at around 10:30 a.m. After being asked to slice some Canadian bacon, the new employee apparently could not cut the meat and an argument ensued, culminating with the new employee allegedly throwing a drink at one person and punching another before fleeing. 

Police located the alleged offender on the CTA Green Line platform at Harlem Avenue and arrested him.

An unknown man allegedly hit a 49-year-old man in the face on July 17 around 11 p.m. The two individuals were riding a Pace bus southbound on Harlem Avenue when an argument started. 

Authorities arrived after the bus stopped at Harlem Avenue and Roosevelt Road but by that time the unknown attacker had fled. Bleeding from the nose and mouth, the victim was given treatment. 

The offender was described as a 35-year-old white male more than 6 feet tall and weighing more than 300 pounds who “looks like Shrek.” He was reportedly wearing an “ugly T-shirt and pants.”

 Theft

Sometime between 2 p.m. on July 15 and 8 a.m. on July 16, several construction tools were taken from Skrine Chops, 7230 Madison Street. The stolen items include a Makita drill and driver combo, valued at $250, a $25 Stanley hammer and several miscellaneous hand tools valued at over $100. 

On July 17, a 50-year-old woman reported that several items were missing from her home in the 600 block of Beloit Avenue. On July 2, the woman discovered several pieces of jewelry, valued at more than $2,000, missing from her house. 

The woman and her husband then left for a scheduled vacation the next day, planning to search for the items when they returned 10 days later. Upon returning, the couple could still not find the jewelry. In late June, the couple had floor work done on their house by a Chicago company. The woman told authorities that for several days, unknown workers were inside her home, sometimes left alone, while she ran errands. 

The company’s management has been contacted. 

 Retail Theft

An unidentified bald white man, wearing jeans and blue backpack stole several candy bars from Thornton’s Gas Station, 601 Harlem Ave., on July 18 around 1 a.m. A store clerk told officers he last the man walking southbound on Harlem Avenue. A search of the area was unsuccessful.

 These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, July 13-19, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.

—Compiled by Thomas Vogel