On Aug. 21, a woman told police she was parked near the entrance of Walmart on Roosevelt Road when a woman approached her car and asked for money. When the woman said she didn’t have any, the robber allegedly told her to go withdraw some or she’d hurt her. The alleged perpetrator was then joined by another woman. The woman drove the two to Bank of America in Oak Park, withdrew $1,600 and gave the pair the money. They asked her to drop them off at Dollar Tree, and the woman did before driving away.
Fraud
A man and a woman called the police Aug. 21 to report fraud. The two found a property to rent in the 1500 block of Marengo Avenue on Facebook Marketplace. They had been texting the property owner, who asked them to send $1,100 on Zelle. Though the couple never filled out an application or signed a lease, the property owner told them to break the lock box to get the key, then that his brother would bring them a key, but he didn’t. Police noticed a sign on the home’s window that read, “Invitation Homes DOES NOT advertise on Facebook or Craigslist” and “Please call our corporate number to validate the listing information.”
In the Village of Forest Park’s most-recent weekly email newsletter, Village Administrator Rachell Entler warned residents against a rise in local rental scams.
“Please remember to verify listings by cross-checking addresses with property owners or rental companies. Be on the lookout for red flags, such as offers that seem too good to be true or sellers who are unwilling to meet in person,” Entler said. “Avoid sending money for properties you haven’t seen or to individuals you haven’t met, and be cautious of using wire transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency for payments.”
Disorderly conduct
On Aug. 22, police responded to Fat Duck Tavern on Madison Street after an employee called and said a woman poured garbage on one of the customers. The customer didn’t wish to report the incident or pursue charges. Though the woman had left by the time police got there, the employee called back later when she returned. Police arrested her for disorderly conduct.
Criminal damage to property
A ComEd employee reported to police Aug. 23 that they’d found three damaged parts of the fence around the perimeter of the power substation in the 700 block of Des Plaines Avenue. The employee also told police that they found a pair of bolt cutters by the fence, though it didn’t seem like anything inside the station was stolen or tampered with. The employee said that other area ComEd power substations have experienced similar vandalism recently.
DUI
On Aug. 24, police noticed a car in the 7400 block of Madison Street just after 1 a.m., parked away from the curb with its emergency lights on and impeding the flow of traffic. Police pulled up to the car and saw a man sleeping behind the wheel while the engine was running. They also saw a bottle of vodka in the center console’s cup holder. When the man woke up, he failed three standard field sobriety tests and, at the police department, blew nearly double the legal drinking limit. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, having a suspended driver’s license and illegal transportation of alcohol.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated August 21 through August 24 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.