A Chicago rapper and producer who believed he was scouting new talent was instead robbed of $35,000 in jewelry, the afternoon of Sept. 10. The man was lured to a stairwell in an Oak Park apartment building on the 200 block of Washington Blvd. shortly before 6 p.m. by a man under the pretense that he was looking to secure a record deal. When the producer entered the stairwell, however, he was confronted by a second man who displayed a chrome-plated semi-automatic hand gun. When the producer turned around, the first man pulled out a black 9-mm handgun and demanded his jewelry.
The pair relieved their victim of a white gold bracelet, a 9.5-carat watch, a 7-carat diamond cross and chain, two 4-carat diamond earrings and a cellphone. They then ordered their victim to walk up the next flight of stairs while they fled in an unknown direction.
Robbery
An Oak Park boy walking on the 300 block of North Ridgeland Ave., the evening of Sept. 10, was jumped from behind by three other teens, one of whom punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. The others then punched and kicked him while the first boy demanded the victim's iPod, which he turned over. When a witness intervened, the three thugs ran off in different directions.
Around 8 p.m. Sept. 11, three teens on bikes surrounded an Oak Park boy on the 400 block of Lake St. and threatened to harm him if he didn't give them his bike. They then grabbed the bike and rode off.
An Oak Park juvenile was surrounded by four other teens riding bikes on the 1200 block of North Harvey Ave., the evening of Sept. 12. One thug demanded the boy empty his pockets, and the boy gave up $3. Another thug patted him down before the gang rode off.
Drug arrest
Herbert Davis, 56, of the 100 block of North Mason Ave., was arrested, the afternoon of Sept. 11, after police, serving search warrants on addresses on the first block of Lake St. and the first block of North Blvd., allegedly discovered half an ounce of crack cocaine and two ounces of pot.
"He made sales to a confidential informant within 1,000 feet of a park," Commander Clemet Harbour said. Police say they found a baggie containing 49 small individual baggies of crack cocaine, totaling 3.7 grams, and a larger baggie containing another 11.2 grams of crack. A third baggie contained 53 grams of marijuana.
Battery
An Oak Park girl walking in an alley on the 900 block of Lyman Ave. with her brother, the night of Sept. 11, was confronted by two teenage boys who started arguing with her. One of the boys pushed the girl and threw a garbage can at her, then ran off when the girl's mother intervened.
Burglary
Overnight Sept. 6 on the 600 block of South Taylor Ave., thieves broke the lock on a van and stole a compressor and other construction tools, then used a garage door opener to enter the garage and steal more tools. Total loss was $2,600.
The afternoon of Sept. 9, a power hammer drill and a "Robo" laser, valued in total at $2,792, were stolen from a work van on the 1100 block of South Scoville Ave.
Sometime between Sept. 2 and 8, thieves broke into a garage on the 900 block of South Lombard Ave., stole a digital camera and a bike valued in total at $630 and ransacked a car.
Overnight Sept. 7, burglars entered an unlocked garage on the 300 block of South Humphrey Ave., ransacked a car, and attempted to steal a DVD player.
Yard tools, valued at $400, were stolen from a garage on the 900 block of Hayes St. between Aug. 18 and Sept. 8.
Two purses and two cellphones were stolen from an unlocked car on the 100 block of North Kenilworth Ave., the morning of Sept. 8.
The window of a car parked in a lot on the 300 block of North Harlem Ave. was smashed sometime between Sept. 5 and 10 and a radar detector was stolen.
Burglars broke a window pane in a door and entered a home on the 1000 block of
Linden Ave., the afternoon of Sept. 9. They ransacked the home and stole $200 cash and $2,200 in jewelry.
Two men entered a home on the 1000 block of Belleforte Ave. through an unlocked pool room door, the afternoon of Sept. 8. They were observed placing an LCD television, an X-box console and two laptop computers into a car, then driving off. Loss was estimated at $3,300.
Overnight Sept. 11, the door lock of a car on the 400 block of South Lombard Ave. was jimmied and stereo equipment, valued at $2,000, was stolen.
DUI
Thomas Z. Martinez, 54, of Mokena was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run traffic accident on Harlem Ave. near South Blvd. just after 5 a.m., Sept. 9. Police who pulled him over several blocks away on Harlem say he failed a field sobriety test. After his arrest, police determined Martinez was driving on a revoked license and had no proof of insurance. He was also charged with numerous traffic offenses.
Geonne D. Crew, 27, of Bellwood was stopped around 1:30 a.m., Sept. 12. Police say Crew, who reportedly had no proof of insurance and was driving on a suspended license, had a blood alcohol level above the legal limit of .08.
Micky P. Young, 52, of the first block of North Waller Ave., allegedly left the scene of a traffic accident on the 100 block of North Marion St., the night of Sept. 13. After stopping Young a short distance away, police say, they determined he had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit of .08 percent.
Criminal damage
Three Chicago boys were arrested after they were caught literally red-handed, scrawling gang graffiti on an underpass at 100 North East Ave., the evening of Sept. 9.
Someone cut the sidewalls off tires on five cars parked on the first block of Washington Blvd., overnight Sept. 12.
Theft
Shortly after 3 a.m., Sept. 8, someone stole a woman's unattended purse, containing $110, and a cellphone from a bar on the 6000 block of North Ave.
Sometime between May 15 and Sept. 10, a 22 cal. handgun was stolen from a home on the 800 block of Clarence Ave.
Vehicle theft
A 2002 Chevy Trail Blazer, valued at $10,000, was stolen from a lot on the 500 block of South Blvd., overnight Sept. 10.
Bike thefts
Bikes were reported stolen on the 1000 block of Lake St., the 800 block of North Humphrey Ave., the 500 block of South Blvd., the 900 block of Hayes, and the 600 block of Lyman Ave.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Oak Park and River Forest police departments from Sept. 8 to Sept. 15. Not all incidents that occurred are listed. Anyone named in reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated.
-Compiled by Bill Dwyer
