Crime Watch: Armed robberies and break-ins to area businesses, gunfire reported in 16th District

AN EMPLOYEE of the Shell gas station, 7201 W. Higgins Ave., reported the business was robbed at about 9:10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee reported that a man pointed a handgun at him and told him the store was being robbed, according to police. The employee reported that the man took approximately $300 in cash and fled in an unknown direction, police said.
The man was described as White/Hispanic, 6-0 and skinny, and wearing a black baseball cap, black jeans, a green hooded sweatshirt and black shoes with a white strip.

AN EMPLOYEE of the Mobil gas station, 3200 N. Harlem Ave., reported the business was robbed at about 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee reported that a man went to the cooler and waited for the last customer to leave the store, then approached the counter and said, “Going to get my lottery now,” pointed a handgun, demanded cash and pulled back the slide on the gun, police said. The employee reported that the man took $200 in cash and fled, according to police.
The man was described as White, age 20 to 30, 6-0 and 180 pounds, and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, a gray surgical mask and black shoes with white soles.

AN EMPLOYEE of Dunkin’ Donuts, 5205 N. Nagle Ave., reported the business was robbed at about 4:10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee provided footage that showed that a man approached the register, appeared to place an order, gave the cashier money, then pointed a black handgun, bent over the counter and took money from the drawer, according to police. Surveillance footage showed the man then took money from a second register drawer and fled east, police said. The employee reported that the man took a total of $1,741.31 in cash from the two registers, according to police.
The man was described as having a light complexion, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with white lettering on the chest, blue jeans and a face mask.

AN EMPLOYEE of the 7-Eleven, 6540 W. Belmont Ave., reported the business was robbed at about 4:50 a.m. Friday, Jan. 13, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee reported that a man entered the store and asked if he could buy cigarettes with a LINK card and when the employee told him that he could not, the man pulled out a handgun, pulled back the slide on the gun and demanded cash from the register, according to police. The employee reported that the man took $515 in cash and a pack of cigarettes, then fled, police said.
The man was described as White, and wearing a blue surgical mask, black baseball cap with a gold letter “P,” gray zip-up hooded sweatshirt, gray pants and dark-colored shoes.

A MAN REPORTED that the driver of a sport utility vehicle fired several shots at him at about 10:55 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, in the 6000 block of West Foster Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The 24-year-old man reported that he was delivering food and waiting at a red light when the driver of a white or silver SUV that was three cars behind his vehicle drove around him to turn west on to Foster, according to police.
The man reported that the SUV then stopped, the driver rolled down his window, fired several shots at his vehicle and fled west on Foster, police said. Officers saw a bullet hole on the driver side door of the man’s vehicle and a fired 45-caliber bullet was found in the door jamb, according to police. Officers recovered six spent 45-caliber shell casings from the street in the 6000 block of West Foster Avenue, police said.

A MAN REPORTED that he and another driver exchanged gunfire in the 5600 block of North Cicero Avenue at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The 29-year-old man reported that he was driving east on I-94 when he noticed a newer model black sport utility vehicle, described as either a Chevrolet Suburban or Tahoe, speeding and driving very close to his vehicle, so he exited at Cicero Avenue, according to police.
The man reported that the SUV followed him off the expressway and when he stopped at a red light the men exchanged some words, police said. The man reported that he saw the man lift himself up in his seat and grab something from his waistband, so he grabbed his own gun and fired approximately five shots and the man fired three to four shots back, police said. The man gave officers his gun and a name check came back clear, according to police.
The shooter was described only as 190 to 210 pounds with black hair.

SHOTS were fired between 7:45 p.m. and 8:10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, in the 6900 and 7100 blocks of West Grace Street, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
Multiple callers reported that a dark-colored sport utility vehicle sped east in the 7100 block of Grace as the driver fired several shots into the air and officers recovered six spent 40-caliber shell casings from the street, according to police. A resident provided surveillance footage that showed a dark sedan drove in the 6900 block of Grace with an occupant firing a gun recklessly, police said. Officers recovered nine spent 45-caliber shell casings from the street, according to police. No injuries were reported and no one is in custody, police said.

EMPLOYEES of four businesses located in a strip mall in the 5300 block of North Cumberland Avenue reported that the businesses were burglarized at about 3:10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
An employee of Cabana Lounge Bar, 5342 N. Cumberland Ave., reported the business was burglarized and officers discovered that the front glass doors of the business, as well as three neighboring businesses, were shattered and the stores were ransacked, according to police.
The employee reported that $3,200 in cash was missing from Cabana Lounge Bar, police said. The other businesses that were burglarized were China Kitchen, 5334 N. Cumberland Ave., Skills barber shop, 5336 N. Cumberland Ave., and Plush Pup Kabob, 5344 N. Cumberland Ave., according to police.

AN EMPLOYEE of Sapori Napoletani Pizzeria, 6050 N. Northwest Hwy., reported the business was burglarized at about 2:25 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee reported that surveillance footage showed three men walked up to the front door and shattered the glass door with an unknown object and entered the restaurant, according to police. The employee reported that a total of $200 in cash was taken from two registers and a bag of coins valued at $200 was also taken, police said.
The men were described as age 20 to 27, 5-10 to 5-11 and 150 to 160 pounds, and wearing gray hooded sweatshirts, black gym shoes and black face masks. Two of the men were described as wearing gray pants and the third man was described as wearing black pants.

AN EMPLOYEE of Dunkin’ Donuts, 7240 W. Devon Ave., reported that the business was burglarized at about 4:55 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The employee reported discovering the front glass door was shattered with a brick and both a register and a safe from the office were missing, according to police. The employee provided surveillance footage that showed four people wearing dark clothing entered the store and took the items containing an unknown amount of currency, according to police.

A MAN REPORTED that his home in the 4900 block of West Winona Street was burglarized between 4:50 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The man reported that when he returned home he discovered the rear door of the home was forced open and the home was ransacked, according to police. The man reported that a total of $6,500 in cash was missing, police said.