Tuesday Blotter: Elderly Couple Robbed, Teens Report Armed Robbery, Vehicle Theft

Armed robbery

Saturday March 12, police responded to a phone call from the mother of one of three teenage boys who said that they had been the victims of an armed robbery in an alley on the 800 block of S. Elmhurst Road, according to police reports. The three victims were walking in the alley after getting some food around 10:30 p.m. when a vehicle described as a green Jeep Cherokee SUV pulled up behind them. An unknown black male, described as being about 5'9" in height and around 250 lbs., got out of the vehicle, pulled out a black pistol and ordered two of the boys on the ground and demanded their money and cell phones, according to reports. The other boy said he ran off when the car approached because he "knew something bad was going to happen." The boys related that there was another offender in the car.

Burglary to vehicle

Friday March 11, police responded to a call from a man who said his vehicle had been broken into by unknown offenders on the 1100 block of Irwin Avenue. The offenders broke the passenger side door lock to gain entry and removed various tools and meters. Total estimated property lost: $4,000.

Monday March 14, a man came into the police station to report that a black briefcase with multiple items had been taken from his front seat while he was in Chelo's restaurant, 935 E. Oakton St. for approximately 15 minutes. Total estimated property lost: $150.

Monday March 14, police responded to a call from a man on the 800 block of E. Tures Lane who reported that his car had been burglarized. The victim noticed that his headlights were on from a window in his home and when he went to investigate, discovered that his passenger side window had been smashed and his Garmin GPS tracker, valued at $150 had been taken. The rock used to break the window was also found in the vehicle on the front seat, according to reports. 

Curfew violation/Contributing to the delinquency of a minor

Sunday March 13 at 12:48 a.m. police pulled over a vehicle with four teens after they failed to comply with a "no turn on red" traffic light sign. After being questioned, the 17-year-old driver admitted that he didn't have a license. The passengers were all 16 years of age. Police cited the passengers with curfew violation and the driver with encouraging the delinquency of a minor, disobeying a traffic control device, no proof of insurance and no valid driver's license. (Be careful after curfew kids...they'll get ya!)

Drinking in public

Friday March 11, while performing a premise check in a park at 2200 Lee St., police came across three men openly drinking cans of beer. The men also had a case of beer stashed in a nearby garbage can, according to reports. Terry Kramer, 43, who is homeless, Samuel Siegel, 47, whom is also homeless and Christopher Vana, 52, of the 900 block of Howard Avenue all received citations for drinking in public and were released, according to reports.

Friday March 11, while performing a premise check at the train depot at 1501 Miner St., police observed Jose Benavides, 31, of the 1000 block of Everett Lane, drinking beer. He had been observed earlier in the day and warned, according to reports. He received a citation for drinking in public.

Driving with suspended license/One headlight/Possession of cannabis

Saturday March 12, police pulled over a man driving a vehicle with one working headlight. After checking the man's license, police discovered it was suspended. During a search of the man, police found him to be in possession of two plastic baggies that contained cannabis, according to reports. Joel Velasquez, 20, of the 1200 block of Boxwood Street in Mount Prospect was charged with possession of cannabis, driving with a suspended license and operating a vehicle with one headlight.

Residential burglary 

(Now this is just sad...way to be burglars! Rob two senior citizens...jerks.)

Saturday March 12, police responded to a call from a couple in their 70's who related that their home on the 600 block of Yale Court had been burglarized while they were at church. The unknown offenders unscrewed the motion detecting lights, ransacked the home and took multiple items and paperwork, including: a metal safe, $200-$300, passports, a safety deposit box key, credit cards, tax return and W-2 forms, two senior CTA passes, life insurance and living trust paperwork, a checkbook, tools and Medicaid cards, among other items. Total property lost is still being determined. In the last week the couple had two different repair men working in their home. A similar burglary took place on the same day on the 600 block of Rose Avenue.

Saturday March 12, police responded to the above mentioned burglary on Rose Avenue. The motion detector lights at this home had also been unscrewed.  The offenders pried open a window and gained entry to the home. The victims reported that multiple pieces of jewelry and U.S. currency had been taken. Total estimated property lost: $25,000.

Suspicious incident/Unlawful use of a weapon

Friday March 11, police were dispatched to the 1800 block of Pine Street, after receiving a report of gunshots being fired. Seven witnesses relayed to police that they had all heard what they believed to be gunshots and men yelling in the street. A few witnesses also observed about 10 male subjects running after an unidentified vehicle and then splitting up in the area. According to police reports, all of the witnesses are known Latin King gang members or are affiliated with the gang. A search of the area was negative in finding any shell casings or firearms. 

Theft

Friday March 11, police responded to a report of theft at Prairie Lakes Community Center, 515 E. Thacker St. A young man reported that he placed his wallet, school identification, and cell phone along the wall of the gym with other attendee's items before playing basketball. When he went to retrieve his items they were missing.

Friday March 11, police discovered that unknown offenders removed two metal plates from a police department speedboard on the 700 block of E. Prairie Avenue. 

Vehicle theft

Monday March 14, police responded to a call from a man who reported that his 53 ft. trailer had been stolen from a parking lot at 1801 S. Elmhurst Road. It is unknown at this time if there are security camera recordings available.