A thief steals a young girl’s bike right before her eyes
A thief took a young girl’s bicycle late at night on Nov. 18, while the victim and her mother watched him carry her away, Forest Park police said.
The victim and her family live in a home south of the intersection of Madison Avenue and Elgin Street. The victim’s father said he was home when his wife and daughter returned around 10:44 p.m., and as they were walking in the alley behind their home, the victim’s mother saw a man dressed in all black come out of the back of the building, carrying the victim’s bicycle. The victim and her mother saw the thief attach the bike to a larger black bike and head north. He was last seen fleeing eastbound on Madison Avenue.
The victim’s father said the bike was left in their backyard, and the fence was closed. He was not sure what make and model of bike it was, but it was pink. The father thought it was worth $200.
A search of the neighborhood did not turn up the bike.
Retail theft
A 64-year-old Chicago man dressed as a construction worker was caught trying to steal nearly $100 in cleaning supplies from a Forest Park Walmart store, according to authorities.
Security camera showed the man walking into the store on November 18 at 9:58 a.m. He was recorded picking up bottles of detergent and microfiber towels and walking through the checkout area without paying. The store called police, and officers stopped him as he walked through the parking lot carrying the items.
The man was charged with retail theft and released pending trial.
Robbery from vehicle
A man had his bag stolen from his girlfriend’s car sometime in the afternoon of November 18.
Police said a silver 2018 Ford SUV was parked in the 1000 block of Harlem Street. The victim left the car around 2pm and when he returned around 11pm, he saw that the passenger side window was smashed and the bag he left inside was missing. The bag contained the victim’s wallet and phone, along with clothes, an Apple Watch, and headphones.
The victim reported the robbery the next morning. He said his phone was ringing at the North Riverside Mall, and he was going to try to get the phone back. Responding police officers advised him to contact North Riverside Police instead.
Stolen flowers
A man sent his girlfriend dozens of roses, only for them to be stolen from the hallway before she arrived.
The victim ordered the bouquet from Westgate Flower and Plant Store in Oak Park, police reports show. They were scheduled to arrive at his girlfriend’s building lobby on November 16 between 9am and 9:30am, but when she returned home around 4:30pm, the flowers were not there. I checked again an hour later, and the flowers were gone.
The victim contacted Westgate who confirmed the flowers would be delivered.
The friend said she suspected a neighbor, with whom she had “several arguments,” of stealing the flowers. There were no security cameras in the lobby.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department from November 14-19, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise noted, any person named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been decided.
Compiled by Igor Studenkov
