On Jan. 27 at 1:55 a.m., a man who was in Forest Park police holding cell #5, who had threatened to defecate and “put it everywhere” during his arrest the previous day, did in fact make good (well, bad) on his threat. He removed all his clothing and defecated on the cell floor before smearing it over the bars, floor and outer cell bar handle. The subject then assisted in clearing up the cell, but Aftermath was contacted for a thorough cleaning. The man was charged with Criminal Damage to Government Supported Property.
Potato chip theft
A man who stole two bags of potato chips from CVS at 7216 Circle Ave at 9:53 a.m. on Feb. 1 and almost knocked someone down on his way out of the store was apprehended at the nearby Green Line station. The chips were recovered and returned to the store and the man was issued a citation and will appear in court.
Unattended children in
parking lot
Two children, approximately 1 and 3 years old, were left unattended in the Walmart parking lot, 1300 Desplaines Ave., on Jan. 28 at 3:43 p.m. A witness called the police after observing the two children inside the vehicle without an adult in or near the car. The witness said the kids had been alone for at least 10 minutes prior to the officer arriving on the scene. According to the report, the children were crying and were not dressed properly for the cold weather. When the mother came out to the car, she said she’d been getting groceries and had not intended to put her children in danger. She was issued a citation for endangering the life or health of a child and will appear in court.
Arrested after incident with
BB gun
Officers were called to the 900 block of Troost on Jan. 28 about a suicidal woman with a gun at 4:09 p.m. Upon arrival, they encountered two women in the doorway who said, “She has a gun.” Officers told everyone to exit the apartment with their hands up. After clearing the living room and kitchen, they discovered one closed door. With officers behind a ballistic shield, they ordered occupants of that room to come out. Eventually, a woman peeked out from behind the door then hid again. After several minutes of being told to leave the bedroom, she finally did. Her hands were empty. A Daisy BB gun was recovered from the closet. She refused medical treatment, and a search through WESCOM revealed she had an active warrant. She was placed in police custody.
Pot and whiskey
Two males were issued citations for marijuana possession, one with the added charge of open alcohol, on the 400 block of Thomas on Jan. 31 at 1:01 a.m. Police on patrol observed three men standing around the trunk of a vehicle. One of the men was “manipulating a cannabis blunt in his fingers.” The reporting officer observed a Styrofoam cup on the trunk, which contained an alcoholic beverage, and one of the men was obviously intoxicated. In addition to the first man with the blunt, a second man was in possession of a Ziploc baggie with a green leafy substance, suspected to be pot. The vehicle owner gave permission for police to search his car, where an almost empty bottle of Jameson was found.
Brick paver thrown at
car window
Police received a call on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. after a suspect on the 400 block of Harlem threw a brick at the window of a car. When police arrived, they spotted a man matching the description of the assailant walking south on Harlem. The subject said he was walking to the train from work. The witness identified the subject as the man who had thrown the brick. According to the witness, the subject had peered into another vehicle on the street. The victim reported scratches to the car on and around the front windows. The subject was charged with criminal damage to property.
CTA train graffiti
Three CTA train cars were tagged by unknown offenders between 9:30 and 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the 1 S. Harlem CTA railyard. The cost of the repair and the offenders’ point of entry was not known at the time of the report. The reporting officer said he had worked the Forest Park CTA Graffiti Prevention Detail from 4:30 to 10 p.m. that day and had conducted multiple premise checks at the address of the tagging that night. He said he finished his last premise check at that location at 8:36 p.m.
Knife wielded at CTA station
Police were called to 711 Desplaines Ave. for a subject, reported to have a knife, attempting to kick out the windows on a passenger train on Jan. 30 at 7:55 a.m. When officers arrived, the subject refused to drop his knife, and officers pointed a Taser at him. The suspect then threw down the knife. CTA employees reported the subject refusing to exit the train, which they were cleaning for their next trip out. He told the employees not to mess with him and started to kick the windows. When told the police would be called, the subject said, “Do whatever you like. I have a knife.”
Down in the mezzanine, he brandished the knife and began swinging it wildly around, then threw his belongings around the area. However, due to inconsistencies in the subject’s story and his demeanor, the reporting officer believed the man suffered from a mental health issue, and he convinced the man to voluntarily go to the emergency room for help. He was brought to the hospital and issued a bond.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Jan. 27-31, 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 Maria Maxham
