It was a big night in Dearborn Park and Printers Row last night. First, a bunch of cops attended a community meeting to allay fears and tell neighbors what to do about some recent home invasions. ("Burglaries take place when you aren't there; home invasions when you are," explained one of the police officers).

As readers know, there was a recent scam where maintenance workers pretended to town home owners in Dearborn Park that they needed to get into the home to check on a leak or something. Once in, they stole money, small electronics, etc.

The cops told the standing room only crowd in the party room at 899 S. Plymouth that it was a little more serious. The ruse was only to get the homeowner to open the door; once the door was open they pushed their way in. And that was that. The impostors gave up their pseudo identities and it was pretty scary.

The cops gave the group license to not open the door to anyone they aren't expecting. Including the cops. "The Fourth Amendment lets us refuse to let any police into our homes unless there is a warrant," we were told. It was pointed out that even a lot of people in the room didn't realize that, a room peppered with a lot of people, they said, who should know better--including cops, judges and other law enforcement personnel who happen to live in the neighborhood.

We were also told about other common scams to get people out of their homes, to the bank and handing money over to strangers. Like getting calls about such things as a child in the hospital or arrested or some such. They use personal information about you that you may, for example, have tossed out without shredding it first. And that's why we believe them.

We were also given advice such as to always have a steel or solid wooden door; vary the turn-on times and locations of automatic lights that turn on when you aren't home--because burglars may see a totally regular pattern and suspect you aren't home; and get bright outdoor lights and a "Beware of Dog" sign. Burglars and home invaders don't like to take too many chances.

Next up last night for the residents in the neighborhood? A free dinner of shell pasta, ravioli and burgers at Blackie's--put on by South Loop Neighbors for its paid-up members. Where everyone ate and drank and talked and had a nice time.

But one woman approached me in the midst of all the chatting and laughing and camaraderie with a complaint: the new high-wattage spotlight bulbs in the old-fashioned-style street lamps on Polk Street in front of the Dearborn Station. "They're casting way too bright a light," she said, "and at a weird angle, too. And no one can figure out why."

She said she's called everyone to find out why the new high spotlight-level brightness bulbs have been put in. But it's anybody's guess. No one seems to know.

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By call girls Paris
Posted: 03/27/2012 11:17 PM

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By Bonnie McGrath from South Loop
Posted: 02/02/2012 11:39 PM

Thanks for pointing out my mistake. Just one of those things that shouldn't happen--but sometimes does. The nice thing about blogging is that things can easily and quickly be corrected.

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By Seriously from South loop, and you?
Posted: 02/02/2012 9:39 PM

Maybe the reason that nobody can tell her why the lights were installed on 8th st is because there are no new lights on 8th street. Dearborn station is on Polk. Don't you live here?