Inside job

07/15/2009 10:00 PM


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A security guard at the Sears store located at 2 N. State watched an employee take a pair of Adidas shoes valued at $69.99 from a shelf and put them on his feet while he was working at 7:30 a.m. July 12. When the employee finished his shift at 1:30, he attempted to leave the store while wearing the shoes but was detained by the security guard. Police arrested the man and charged him with retail theft.

Maintenance scam

A man entered Homemade Pizza Co., 1347 S. Michigan, at 5:30 p.m. July 12 and told employees he was there to fix a circuit breaker. The man said the business had 45 minutes remaining until all power was gone. He said he needed to purchase a part for the circuit breaker and that it would cost $365. A manager for the restaurant gave the man the money for the part, but became suspicious when the man did not return after an hour. The manager called police, who attempted to obtain video surveillance from the building to investigate.

Drunken Michael mourner

A man wearing a black hat, a black vest, black pants and a white glove was walking around 1600 S. Indiana on July 10 and acting erratically. Police stopped the man to question him and found him highly intoxicated. The man told police he was mourning the death of Michael Jackson. Police transferred him to a nearby hospital to sober up.

Storm of poop

Police were patrolling the Taste of Chicago near 340 E. Jackson at 6:05 p.m. July 5 when they observed a man throwing horse excrement into a crowd of people, causing the crowd to flee in panic. Police arrested the man and transported him to the 1st District police station.

Coffee caper

Police arrived at the 10 W. Adams Starbucks at 6:45 p.m. July 9. A shift manager said a man wearing a turquoise fanny pack and gray pants entered the store and attempted to purchase some items with a credit card that had a female name on it. The manager took the card and questioned the man about it. The customer became enraged and came behind the counter wielding a pair of scissors that he produced from his fanny pack. He threatened the manager and demanded the card back. She threw the card at the offender, who left the store and fled westbound on Adams. Police toured the area, but could not locate the offender.

Gun holder brought down

Police were monitoring a large crowd at 9:59 p.m. July 3 that had gathered near 550 S. Michigan, close to the Taste of Chicago. Officers noticed several males involved in a verbal altercation. One of the officers noticed one of the men reach in to his pocket and flash a handgun. The officer approached the man, but he fled. As the police caught up with the offender, he threw the gun to the ground. Police recovered the gun and found that it was fully loaded. The officer continued after the offender, eventually placing him in to custody with an emergency takedown maneuver. The man was transported to the 1st District police station for processing. During questioning, the man told police that he was holding the gun for a friend who was with him at the Taste. He said he needed the gun for protection against rival gang members. The man was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun.

Knife holding man attacks police

Policed arrived at a building located at 1 N. State at 12:55 p.m. July 9 in response to a report of narcotics activity. Police did not find any offenders at the scene, so they spoke with a building security guard, who told the officers that she was aware of narcotic activities taking place in front of the building and has contacted police in the past. The guard then pointed to a man nearby and said that the man was illegally loitering near the building. Officers approached the man for a field interview and asked if he had any sharp objects that could cut or harm the officers. The man said, “Yes. I have a knife for protection.” Police attempted to place the man in custody for carrying a dangerous weapon. The man lunged at the officers, the report says, and one of them stunned the offender with an open hand to the face. Police subdued the man and recovered a knife with a blade longer than 2-1/2” from his right front pants pocket. The man was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.

This summary contains information taken from the arrest records from the 1st and 12th districts of the Chicago Police Department. Anyone named has only been charged with a crime. The cases have not yet been adjudicated.

—Compiled by Michael Nagrant


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