Despite repeated police warnings to lock car doors and keep valuables out of sight, people continue to be victimized by car burglaries. An engagement ring and wedding ring valued at $15,000 were stolen from an unlocked car on the 300 block of Lake the morning of Nov. 16.

That afternoon Reginald Washington, 42, of 5342 W. Van Buren was arrested after allegedly stealing loose change and a juice drink from an unlocked car on the 6400 block of Roosevelt.

The window of a car parked on the 700 block of S. Maple was smashed the night of Nov. 18, and a GPS device stolen.

Overnight Nov. 18, the window of a car on the 1000 block of S. Oak Park was smashed and a GPS device stolen. There were also two incidents of car windows being broken, on the 100 block of N. Elmwood and 300 block of North Blvd.

Residential burglary

A fire extinguisher was used to break a window in a door of an office at Concordia University, 7400 Augusta, the afternoon of Nov. 21. The fire alarm was set off, and two laptop computers were found in the hallway. Two others remain missing.

A homeowner on the 500 block of Edgewood was awakened by a burglar alarm around 4:30 a.m. Nov. 22. A burglar, who had broken the window on the rear kitchen door and entered the home, fled when confronted.

During the day Nov. 19, a home on the 200 block of S. Marion was entered through an open window and jewelry was stolen.

During the day Nov. 20, the front door lock of a home on the 100 block of S. Harvey was broken and personal items valued at $3,075 stolen.

Overnight Nov. 21, the rear door window of a home on the 1100 block of S. Humphrey was broken and a wallet containing $250 stolen.

Thieves used a pry tool to force open a front door of an apartment on the 1100 block of Harlem Ave. in River Forest during the day Nov. 18. A diamond engagement ring and other valuables were stolen.

The rear door of a business on the 1000 block of North Blvd. was pried open overnight Nov. 21. Merchandise valued at $530 and $60 cash was stolen.

Thieves entered a garage on the 600 block of N. Oak Park the afternoon of Nov. 21 through an open overhead door and stole a snow blower.

Drugs

Jason R. Brasic, 23, of Wauconda was arrested around 10 p.m. Nov. 21 after police allegedly spotted him with 5 baggies of heroin in his car on the 1100 block of Lake.

Tyler A. Kinley, 21, of Naperville, was charged with two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance the afternoon of Nov. 21.

Kenneth Moore, 19, and Devonte A. Avery, 18, were observed in a car on the 1500 block of Franklin around 11:30 p.m. Nov 20. Police say they were breaking up marijuana buds and placing it in 22 baggies for sale.

Theft

The morning of Nov. 21, police arrested Eric Tyrone White, 44, of 723 S. Maple, after allegedly finding him on the first block of N. Austin with four stolen vehicle license plate stickers. He was charged with four felony counts of unlawful possession of the vehicle stickers. White was paroled Oct. 5 from his most recent conviction, for possession of registration stickers.

The afternoon of Nov. 18, Morris E. Shannon, 36, of 147 N. Menard, Chicago, was charged with felony retail theft after allegedly stealing merchandise from the Dominick's at 259 Lake.

Ismael G. Barada, 18, was charged with felony retail theft after allegedly stealing merchandise from the Jewel, 7036 Roosevelt, the afternoon of Nov. 19. 

Around the same time, James N. Holder, 50, of 609 N. Lockwood, Chicago, was arrested for an alleged felony retail theft at CVS Pharmacy, 345 Madison.

The afternoon of Nov. 19, a man broke the lock on a pump at a gas station on the 1200 block of N. Harlem and stole 258 gallons of gas valued at $975. 

Jerry Davis, 60, of 426 S. Humphrey, was arrested the morning of Nov. 20 and charged with felony retail theft for allegedly stealing merchandise from the Jewel, 438 Madison.

The afternoon of Nov. 16, two young men stole cells phones valued at $700 from a store on the 400 block of N. Harlem.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Oak Park and River Forest police departments from Nov. 14-Nov. 21. 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.

-Bill Dwyer