A man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of firearms and firearms ammo, expired driver’s license, and speeding on April 23. Around 7:15 p.m., the reporting officer observed a car speeding down Harlem Avenue past Thornton’s, where the officer was monitoring traffic. While following the vehicle, the officer ran the registration and discovered the owner of the car was not only driving on a license expired for almost a year, but also had over 17 previous arrests, including some for “dangerous drugs.”
The officer requested backup, and the two police cars pulled the vehicle over on Harvard just east of Dunlop Avenue.
An officer asked the driver for identification and noticed signs of nervousness from the driver, as well as what the officer thought to be the man turning in such a manner as to hide the center console area from view. He asked the driver to step out of the car, which he did. When asked if he had any weapons, the driver said why he would be driving the way he was if he had a weapon on him.
Since the vehicle was going to be impounded due to the expired license, and because the officer found the gun answer suspicious, he began to search the car and found a black Smith and Wesson semiautomatic 40-caliber handgun with nine rounds in the gun’s magazine.
The man, who did not have a FOID card on record and is a convicted felon, was arrested.
Vehicle stolen
A vehicle was stolen from the 300 block of Desplaines Avenue sometime between 11:30 p.m. on April 24 and 10 a.m. on April 25. A woman called to report that unknown offenders had taken her car from the parking lot without her permission. She still had the keys in her possession and did not remember if she had locked her car or not. No broken glass was observed in the parking lot, and police will check with the condo president to see if there is video surveillance.
Car burglarized
Police were called to the 800 block of Beloit Avenue at 12:03 p.m., April 25 when a man discovered his car had been burglarized. The car, parked at the rear of the residence, was not damaged, but approximately $80 in cash and coins was missing. The owner was not sure if the vehicle was locked when he parked and exited it the previous day.
Another car ransacked
A car was burglarized on the 7300 block of Harrison Street, April 25. Police were called at 9:47 p.m. to the parking pad in the alley at the rear of the residence. The owner, who believed his vehicle was left unlocked, said he discovered the center console and glove box were open and had been ransacked. His wallet, which contained credit cards, bank cards and approximately $1 in cash, was missing.
Unauthorized person at Currie Motors
Officers were called to Currie Motors, 8401 Roosevelt Road, on April 26 at 5:21 a.m. when a man not authorized to be on the lot was walking around trying to open car doors. When police arrived, the man was exiting a silver vehicle with the radio at a very high volume. He left the vehicle and began to walk away from officers, who detained and handcuffed him.
Bicycles stolen from garage
Three bicycles, valued at $600 each, were stolen from an unlocked garage on the 900 block of Lathrop between April 19 at 5 p.m. and April 20 at 9 a.m. The bicycles were a silver Electra Townie 21, a white Schwinn Voyageur GS and a red Giant brand 10-speed.
Man accuses 70-year-old of animal cruelty
A man called the cops, then held a 70-year-old man on the ground until they arrived on the 200 block of Marengo Avenue, April 20 at 12:25 p.m. The caller said he was out walking when he saw the old man beating his dog. According to the caller, the alleged abuser kicked the dog in the face and then hit its nose with an open hand. He followed the man and dog while dialing 911.
The alleged abuser denied kicking the dog and explained that he did use his open hand on the dog, but to move the dog’s head away, not hit it. According to the police report, he “adamantly stated he does not abuse his dog.”
He brought the dog outside so the officer could check the dog’s welfare. And he added that he was hit twice by the caller and wanted that fact documented in the report.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, April 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 Maria Maxham
