Local ‘Crime Watch’ updates from 16th, 17th District police

Two men reported that a man attacked them at about 10:10 a.m. Friday, July 8, in the parking lot of Consume Cannabis, 6428 N. Milwaukee Ave., according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

Employees reported that a man drove into the parking lot in a U-Haul truck and parked across several spots, according to police. Employees reported that they approached the man, told him that he had to move the vehicle and the man entered the dispensary acting aggressively, police said.

A 44-year-old customer reported that his brother tried to calm the man down, when the conversation turned into an argument and the man attacked his brother, police said. The 44-year-old man reported that he defended his brother and was punched in the head several times, according to police. Security staff provided surveillance footage of the incident, which showed the man fled south on Milwaukee in the truck, and officers gathered license plate information, police said.

The man driving was described as White/Hispanic, 5-6 to 5-8 and 160 to 185 pounds, bald, with brown eyes and tattoos on both hands.

Two men reported that they were robbed at about 1:05 p.m. Monday, July 4, in the parking lot of the IHOP restaurant, 4210 N. Cicero Ave., according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

A 48-year-old man reported he and a 31-year-old man were standing near a vehicle when a man approached them, asked whose car they were standing next to, lifted his shirt before they could respond and displayed a handgun in the waistband of his pants and demanded their wallets, according to police.

The 48-year-old man reported that the man pulled out the gun and struck him in the left side of his face and the back of his head with the butt of the gun, police said.

The 31-year-old man reported that he tried to intervene and was kicked in the stomach and back, according to police. The men reported that the man with the gun took several items while they were on the ground, including $600 in cash from the 48-year-old man and $300 in cash and jewelry valued at $700 from the 31-year-old man, police said.

The assailant was described as Black and 6-1, wearing a baseball cap, black jacket and red shoes.

Two men were arrested on drug and other charges at about 10:45 p.m. Friday, July 8, in the 4900 block of West Irving Park Road, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

 Officers on patrol discovered that the registration of a maroon 2013 Chevrolet Camaro was expired and stopped the vehicle in the 4900 block of Irving Park Road, according to police. An officer saw an open alcohol container in the center console when they approached the vehicle and asked both the driver and passenger to exit the vehicle, police said.

The driver consented to a search of the vehicle and officers discovered a prescription bottle containing a substance suspected of being crack cocaine in the glove compartment, according to police. During the investigation the man told officers his real name and they discovered two warrants for his arrest, according to police. Both men were placed into custody and a custodial search revealed the passenger was in possession of a pill suspected to be Xanax, police said.

The suspects were identified by police as Peter E. Wichert, age 35, of the 6100 block of North Elston Avenue, and Robert M. Belmont, age 57, of the 6100 block of North Elston Avenue.

A woman reported that an employee of the 7-Eleven, 4859 N. Milwaukee Ave., pointed a handgun at her at about 2:05 a.m. Tuesday, July 5, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The woman reported that she and her boyfriend got into an argument with the store clerk and the employee left the store unattended, went to the trunk of his vehicle, returned with a handgun, pointed it at the couple, then fled in a black 2013 Chrysler 300, according to police. Responding officers found the store was unattended and waited until a manager arrived to operate the store, police said. The manager provided surveillance footage of the incident, which confirmed the woman’s story, according to police.

The manager provided the employee’s name and contact information, officers gathered license plate information from the provided surveillance footage and the vehicle was last seen driving into the 3rd (Grand Crossing) Police District, police said.

An employee of Roberto Jewelry, 7005 W. Higgins Ave., reported that the business was burglarized at about 3:45 a.m. Sunday, July 10, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The employee reported that surveillance footage showed a man smashed the glass window of the front door with a hammer, entered the store, smashed the jewelry counter, put several rings with a combined value of approximately $12,000 into a garbage bag and fled on foot, according to police.

The man was described as White, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants, black flip flop sandals and black gloves.

Several catalytic converter thefts were reported in the area between about 9 p.m. Sunday, July 3 and about 10 a.m. Sunday, July 10, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

Thefts were reported in the 5700 block of North Major Avenue, the 6000 block of West Argyle Street, the 4900 block of North Rutherford Avenue, the 5100 block of North Natchez Avenue and in the 7000 block of North McAlpin Avenue, according to police.

A man reported that a man pointed a gun at him at about 5:10 a.m. Sunday, July 10, in the 3600 block of West Foster Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

The 30-year-old man reported that he was leaving prayer services when he saw a silver Infiniti occupied by two men in a parking lot, then saw the vehicle driving a short time later in the 5100 block of North Bernard Avenue with occupants checking underneath random vehicles, according to police.

The man reported that he found it suspicious and took a photo of the vehicle’s license plate, then realized the men were following him in the Infiniti, police said. The man reported that the driver exited the vehicle in the 3600 block of West Foster Avenue and pointed the gun at him and drove away, according to police.

The man was described as Black and age 17 to 20.

A man reported that his catalytic converter was stolen at about 3 a.m. Monday, July 11, while he was sitting in a delivery vehicle parked in the lot of the Aldi store, 5001 N. Pulaski Road, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

The 48-year-old man reported that three men drove up next to his truck in a beige Infiniti sedan and one of the men exited the vehicle and began cutting off the catalytic converter of the truck, according to police. The man reported that he exited the vehicle to confront the man when a second man exited the vehicle, pointed a handgun and said, “Just stay still,” police said.

The man reported that the first man finished cutting off the converter, they took it to the Infiniti, then the third man driving the vehicle fled north on Pulaski, according to police.

The three men were described as Black, age 18 to 25 and 5-8 to 6-0, and wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks.

A man reported that his catalytic converter was stolen by two men at about 7:20 p.m. Monday, July 11, in the 5600 block of North Christiana Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

The man reported that he heard his car alarm go off and when he went outside to check his vehicle a man pointed a handgun at him and told him to go back inside while a second man cut of the catalytic converter, according to police.

The two men were only described as Black and age 15.

Shots were fired at about 3:20 a.m. Monday, July 11, in the 3200 block of West Grace Street, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

Officers recovered four spent 9-millimeter shell casings in the street and no injuries or property damage were reported, according to police.

Shots were fired at about 11:05 p.m. Monday, July 11, in the 3400 block of West Byron Street, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

Witnesses reported that eight shots were fired in the alley and one witness provided surveillance footage, according to police. Officers recovered 12 spent 9-millimeter shell casings from the end of the alley, police said.

A man reported that tools were stolen from his work vehicle that was parked in the 2800 block of West Melrose Street at about 5 a.m. Thursday, July 7, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

The man reported that he discovered that his truck was ransacked and several tools with a combined value of $1,800 were missing, according to police.

The man reported that the surveillance footage showed two men exited a vehicle, walked to and from the truck, then fled, police said.

A man reported that tools were stolen from his vehicle that was parked in the 3600 block of West Belmont Avenue at about 4:20 a.m. Sunday, July 10, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

The man reported that two men approached his work truck, broke the rear passenger side door lock, took roofing tools and materials valued at  of $5,000 and fled on foot, according to police.

One of the men was described as Black, 5-10 to 6-0 and 150 pounds, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants. The other man was described as White/Hispanic and 5-8 to 6-0, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

Several catalytic converter thefts were reported between about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 7 and about 1 p.m. Sunday, July 10, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.

Thefts were reported in the 4100 block of North Spaulding Avenue, the 3800 block of North Central Park Avenue, the 4800 block of North Tripp Avenue, the 4300 block of North Elston Avenue and in the 3500 block of North Lawndale Avenue, according to police.