A woman, retrieving her child from the back seat of her car, was the victim of a vehicular hijacking on the 1100 block of Harlem Avenue on Feb. 25 at 12:11 p.m. The victim said she had parked in the rear of the location and was removing her child from the back seat when an unknown male appeared, displayed a black handgun and demanded her keys. She reported throwing her keys on the ground and quickly going inside with her child. Video footage showed that as the car with the assailant was exiting the lot, two unknown subjects approached and entered the car before it fled.
Juveniles arrested for vehicular hijacking
Two juveniles were arrested for vehicular hijacking and transported to a juvenile detention center after hitting a man and stealing his car from the Portillo’s/Walmart parking lot, 7740 Roosevelt Road, on Feb. 28 at 4:04 p.m. The victim, visibly shaken, according to the police report, told police that “he was hit and his car was taken.” The offenders, he said, fled in his vehicle. The car was stopped in Oak Park, and the victim identified the suspects, who were taken into custody.
Unresponsive man on train given NARCAN
Forest Park police administered NARCAN to an unresponsive man on the train at 711 Desplaines Ave. on Feb. 26 at 3:39 p.m. Officers also performed sternum rubs, after which the man regained consciousness. Paramedics arrived and took over treatment. The man, who was transported to the hospital for further treatment, said he had recently snorted heroin.
Man assaulted and robbed after flirting
Police responded to a bar on the 7500 block of Madison Street on Feb. 26 at 11:47 p.m. for a robbery that had just occurred. The victim said that several offenders had stolen his cellphone and an I-pad from his backpack. The victim recounted that he’d met three men and three women at the bar. He said he was flirting with two of the women. When all six people he’d met left the bar, he followed them and attempted to get into a car they had all entered. But the men allegedly began to fight with the victim, striking him in the back of the head. The victim reported punching one of the men and then taking photos of the car with his phone.
According to the victim, the subjects were angry that he had taken pictures, and during an argument one of the men took his phone and I-pad.
More CTA train car vandalism
For the third week in a row, police were called for vandalism of CTA train cars. The latest occurrence was on Feb. 28 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Two cars were defaced with graffiti.
Soliciting without a permit and swearing at people
Police were called to the 600 block of Circle Avenue on Feb. 23 at 3:31 p.m. for a subject “with a notebook, soliciting door to door and swearing at people.” The victim waved police down and said he’d confronted the solicitor, who did not have a permit, at which time the suspect became verbally abusive. The victim said the suspect then “swung at him.” He had video footage on his phone, but it only captured abrupt movement, not any contact with the victim or his phone. Police located the suspect, who was described as “irate” and stated he was only selling magazines. He accused the police of being racist and refused to tell his side of the story. He was issued local ordinance citations for assault and for soliciting without a permit.
Smash and grab at liquor store
Police responded when they heard an audible burglar alarm from Forest Park Liquors, on the 7400 block of Madison Street, at 2:41 a.m. on Feb. 23. They arrived to find the front door glass shattered and a large brick located near the front door. Inside, the store was ransacked, and items had been damaged.
Video footage showed a dark colored SUV stop in front of the store, then park on the corner of Burkhardt Court and Madison Street facing southbound on Burkhardt. Three male subjects exited the vehicle and approached the store.
One of the suspects threw a brick at the front door, which did not break. He then kicked the glass several times before he was successful in gaining entrance. All three men went into the store, where they grabbed multiple liquors bottles, including Hennessy, Dusse and Remy Martin, and stuffed them into a bag. One of the men grabbed the entire cash drawer from the register, and another took Newport cigarettes and other unknown items and put them into a bag he was carrying. They all left the store, then returned with more bags and an empty trash can they filled with more items. They left the store a second time, got into the car, and drove away.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department, Feb. 22-28, 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
