Home burglarized while owner is on vacation
A house on the 500 block of Ferdinand Avenue was burglarized in early November. The owner left for a vacation to Mexico, Oct. 29, according to the police report. During that time, she asked a friend to check on her two cats. At some point from about 5:30 p.m., Nov. 1, to the same time two days later, someone broke into the house’s rear door, used a grill cover to prop open the back screen door and also broke a window. The offender then ransacked the house and stole a TV from the house’s living room. A Toyota from the garage is also missing, the homeowner confirmed to the Forest Park Review via email.
Spare change stolen
An unknown offender stole spare change and a vehicle registration from a Mazda parked at 1020 Elgin Ave. sometime between 11 p.m., Nov. 16, and 3 p.m. the next day, according to a police report.
Cemetery chase
A Westmont man allegedly stole about $34 worth of merchandise from Walmart. Loss prevention officials from Walmart at 1300 Desplaines Ave. contacted police around 8:58 p.m. about a man, approximately 18 years old, 5-foot-4, and dressed in a red jumpsuit, who reportedly stole men’s clothing from the store, Nov. 19 according to a police report. A Walmart employee watched the man put clothes in a plastic bag as he walked through the store. She tried to stop him as he exited the store, but the offender ran away through the Portillo’s parking lot.
Officers later spotted him running westbound through the Jewish cemetery at Desplaines Avenue, and entered the cemetery to chase him. The offender spotted the police officers, ran across Roosevelt Road and hopped the fence into Forest Hill Cemetery and ran north. He then hid in the window well of a building in Forest Hill. Officers spotted and detained the man, who repeatedly told police, “I just stole from Walmart, I don’t have a gun.” Police later found men’s sweatpants, a sock and underwear near where the offender had been running in the Jewish Cemetery, worth $33.75 total from Walmart.
The offender told police he hurt his wrist and hand while jumping the fence, and was transported to Rush Oak Park Hospital. A search through the police’s computer system found a warrant for the man in DuPage County. He was booked on retail theft and resisting. Court date is 5 p.m. at the Village of Forest Park Council Chambers on Jan. 3.
Purse stolen
A woman’s purse was stolen from Aperion Care after she went downstairs to get dinner at the assisted living home. Her black purse was reported stolen after she left for dinner about 5 p.m. at 8200 Roosevelt Road on Nov. 19. She returned to her room about 5:20 p.m. and found the small black purse, which normally goes around her neck, missing. She said the purse contained her identification.
Weed citation
A Chicago man was caught smoking weed in a car Nov. 20. An officer in an unmarked squad car pulled up to a white Mazda at the intersection of Cermak Road and Desplaines Avenue about 4:12 p.m., Nov. 20, according to the police report. The officer watched the 23-year-old smoke a blunt. The officer came up to the Mazda and asked the driver for his license and registration. The policeman smelled a strong odor of marijuana.
The driver admitted to smoking marijuana and said he had more in his driver door map pocket. The officer conducted a hand search of the car and found a knotted plastic bag containing about five grams of cannabis. The man was charged with possession of marijuana. His court date is 5 p.m., Jan. 18 at village hall.
Armed robbery
A masked gunman demanded a Forest Park man’s wallet, ring and keys on Nov. 21. The victim parked his car in the back of 105 Rockford around 5:45 p.m., Nov. 21, according to the police report. A man in a ski mask, dressed in a dark winter jacket, approached the vehicle and ordered the man to give him his wallet. The man told the offender to leave, but the offender turned around and pointed a semi-automatic gun to the man’s face, demanding again his wallet, ring and keys, which the Forest Park man handed over.
The offender then threw the keys at a nearby house, and ran south toward an alley. The loss included about $150, multiple credit and debit cards and the victim’s driver’s license.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Nov. 20-26, 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 Nona Tepper
