Two charged with robbing disabled man in park
Two people have been charged with the armed robbery last week of a 34-year-old Forest Park man suffering from a disability.
Shemeka T. Mosley and Alfred J. Shotwell are being held in Cook County Jail awaiting trial after allegedly conspiring to rob the victim at a park at Randolph and Circle avenues just after midnight. Mosley’s bond has been set at $300,000; Shotwell’s bond was set at $325,000.
According to the police report, Mosley and the victim connected on Facebook and earlier the previous day had given her $20. The victim contacted Mosley later that day and told Mosley he wanted to meet her at the park to talk.
The two were sitting on the swings when two other women approached and began whispering to Mosley. Shortly after, Shotwell appeared and reportedly brandished a handgun, punched the victim in the face and stole his wallet.
Shotwell, Mosley and the two other women then reportedly entered Mosley’s car and left the scene. The victim reportedly suffered a broken facial bone and an abrasion to his eye.
The victim called police, who stopped Mosley’s car in the 100 block of Elgin Avenue. All of the occupants inside the vehicle were identified by the victim, according to police, who took them into custody. Police did not find a weapon or the victim’s wallet, according to the police report.
Investigators reportedly were able to collect Facebook text messages between Mosley and Shotwell prior to the alleged robbery, and Mosley reported admitting to police her role in the robbery.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Mosley and Shotwell with one count each of armed robbery. They were scheduled for a preliminary hearing at the Maybrook courthouse on Sept.27. The other two women were released without being charged.
Bike stolen
A 22-year-old Forest Park man contacted police to report that between 6:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sept. 21 someone stole his purple and silver Schwinn bicycle, which had been locked outside the Circle Avenue entrance to the CTA Blue Line station.
Catalytic converter stolen
A 36-year-old Forest Park man reported to police on Sept. 19 that, during the overnight hours, someone removed the catalytic converter from his 2003 Cadillac, which was parked in the rear of building in the 1100 block of Lathrop Avenue.
Graffiti
Forest Park police reported on Sept. 19 that, sometime during the previous two days, someone spray painted the word “roach” on a garage door in the 7400 block of Madison Street and the rear of a building in the 7500 block of Madison Street.
Crackdown on panhandlers
Forest Park police charged a 25-year-old Chicago man with criminal trespassing after he had been allegedly panhandling aggressively outside a business in the 200 block of Harlem Avenue on Sept. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
According to police, the man is “constantly” at that location panhandling customers, and when told to leave, he usually comes back within 15 minutes. After panhandling on this particular occasion, police arrested him.
A 24-year-old Chicago man and a 50-year-old Chicago man were charged with vagrancy/panhandling after reportedly walking in and out of traffic while trying to collect money from motorists on Harlem Avenue at I-290 on Sept. 22 about 3:40 p.m.
A police officer instructed the men to stop panhandling and they left the scene. When the officer returned 10 minutes later, they reportedly were back panhandling on the westbound I-290 highway ramp.
Following his arrest, police inventoried the younger man’s cup, which contained $14.10. The older man had $2.75 on his person when arrested.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Sept. 19-25, 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 Bob Uphues
