Man shoots man in Jefferson Park, brazen armed catalytic converter thieves in Edison Park, and multiple robberies reported in 16th, 17th Districts in this week’s ‘Crime Watch’
A man was arrested after he allegedly shot another man at about 12:25 p.m. Saturday, July 22, in an alley of the 4800 block of West Strong Street, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
Officers responded to a call of shots fired and checked the alley when a man walked into the alley with a handgun in his rear right pocket and he was placed into custody, according to police. Officers recovered a loaded handgun and he allegedly told them that the other man sprayed him with a chemical spray, police said.
Officers looked for a gun victim and discovered paramedics responded to another home on the block and treated a man for a gunshot wound to his chest and arm, according to police. The man was transported to Lutheran General Hospital in critical condition but was later downgraded to stable condition at the hospital, police said.
The suspect was identified by police as Benjamin S. Ardelean, age 49, of the 4800 block of West Strong Street. He was charged with aggravated battery, according to police.
A woman reported that she was robbed at about 5:25 a.m. Tuesday, July 18, in the 3200 block of North Central Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The 70-year-old woman reported that she was walking to work when a white sedan drove into a driveway in front of her, stopped and three men exited the vehicle wearing ski masks, according to police. The woman reported that one of the men pointed a handgun and took her purse, which caused her to fall to the ground, police said.
The men were only described as Black and wearing black ski masks.
A man reported that two men pointed handguns at him after he discovered them stealing a catalytic converter from his vehicle parked in the 6600 block of North Northwest Highway at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday, July 22.
The 48-year-old man reported that he heard a noise coming from the street and looked to see if it was his car, according to police. The man reported that two men were cutting the catalytic converter from his vehicle and when he confronted them, both men pointed guns at his face and told him to go back inside of a building, police said. The man reported that the men removed the catalytic converter and fled south east on Northwest Highway in a white minivan, according to police.
The men were described only as wearing black sweaters and black pants.
A woman reported Friday, July 21, that a man attempted to lure her daughter into a van parked in the 3700 block of North Lavergne Avenue at about noon, Thursday, July 13, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The woman’s teenage daughter reported that she was walking to a bus stop when a man in a white van began talking to her and asked if she wanted to see a large television set in the back of the van, according to police. The woman’s daughter reported that she told the man she did not want to see the TV and continued walking after the man kept asking to show her the appliance, according to police.
The woman provided a picture of the van to police and the van is often parked in the area, police said. No one was in custody as of press deadline.
The man was described as White, age 40 to 45, with gray hair.
A woman reported that a man grabbed her while she was walking her dog at about 9 a.m. Sunday, July 23, in the 5400 block of West Pensacola Avenue according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The woman reported that she was walking when a man walked up behind her, grabbed her between her legs and touched her crotch, according to police. The woman reported that she turned around to look at the man and he appeared startled, then fled south on Linder, police said.
The man was described as Asian/Pacific Islander, age 20 to 25, 5-8 and 160 to 170 pounds, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.
A woman reported that a man threatened her with a gun during an argument at about 11 a.m. Friday, July 21, at Dickinson Park in the 4100 block of North Lavergne Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The woman reported that she was working at the park when a man began yelling at her, according to police. The woman reported that they began arguing and the man opened his backpack to show her a black handgun, police said.
The woman reported that she backed away and the man fled east on Irving Park Road, according to police.
The man was described as White/Hispanic, age 40-49, 5-6 to 5-9 and 140 to 150 pounds, wearing a blue baseball cap, an orange bandana, a black T-shirt and black pants, carrying a black backpack.
A woman reported that her apartment in the 5300 block of North Central Avenue was burglarized between noon Thursday, July 20, and 3:35 p.m. Friday, July 21, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The woman reported that when she returned home she discovered that the front door to her apartment was forced open and several items were missing, including 10 pairs of shoes valued at $2,000, two television sets valued at $1,200, jewelry valued at $100 and school supplies valued at $90, according to police. The woman reported that a home surveillance camera valued at $50 was damaged, police said.
EZI Mart, 4804 N. Central Ave., was burglarized at about 2:50 a.m. Tuesday, July 18, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
Officers discovered the front glass door was shattered and several items were on the floor including an unknown amount of cash attached to a receipt, according to police. Officers were unable to contact a key holder for the business at the time of the report, police said.
An off-duty police officer reported that a driver of a Ford Crown Victoria was impersonating an officer and using emergency equipment on the vehicle to harass people at Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave., at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday, July 16, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The man reported that the driver of a black 2011 Ford Crown Victoria circled the park several times with blue strobe lights flashing near the headlights and used a public announcement system to harass people at the park, according to police. The man reported the vehicle was last seen driving south on Avondale Avenue from Hurlbut Street and provided license plate information for the vehicle, police said. A license plate search revealed the vehicle was registered to residence in Hoffman Estates and officers contacted the listed owner, according to police. The owner of the vehicle reported that his son was driving it at the time and he bought the retired police vehicle as-is but the emergency equipment was never removed, police said.
A man reported that two attempted to break into his work van parked in the 6100 block of West Waveland Avenue at about 5:15 a.m. Monday, July 17, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.
The man reported that video surveillance footage showed a dark colored sedan drove beside his work van and a man exited and attempted to open the rear door of the van but could not, according to police. The man reported that footage showed the man then circled the van several times before he broke the driver side window, police said.
The man reported that footage showed a second man exited the sedan and stood near the rear of the van with a handgun in his right hand, according to police. The man reported that the men activated the van’s alarm, which woke him and he called 9-1-1, police said. The man reported that footage showed the sedan fled south on Meade and nothing appeared to be missing from the van, according to police.
The man who attempted to open the rear door was described as Black, age 17 to 27, 5-9 to 6-0 and 150 to 170 pounds, and wearing a dark colored hooded sweatshirt with white writing or a white stripe on the sleeve, gray sweatpants and white gym shoes. The man that stood at the rear of the van with a handgun was described as Black, age 17 to 27, 5-9 to 6-0 and 150 to 170 pounds, and wearing a black sweater and dark pants, with his left arm in a light colored sling.
A delivery driver reported that he was robbed by two men with handguns and a man with a rifle at about 3:15 a.m. Sunday, July 9, in the 4500 block of North Keokuk Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The driver reported that he was finishing a food delivery and returned to his vehicle when he saw a black sport utility vehicle, described as possibly a BMW, sped down the street toward him, according to police. The driver reported that the SUV passed his vehicle on the left, then pulled in front of his vehicle to block its path, police said.
The driver reported that two men exited pointing handguns and a third man exited pointing a rifle,” according to police. The driver reported that one of the men with a handgun opened the driver’s door of his vehicle, demanded that the driver get out and the man with the rifle pointed it at his head and demanded his belongings, police said.
The driver reported that the third man punched him in the back of the head and in the back, took his keys, wallet and cell phone, then all three men fled, according to police.
The three men were described as Black, age 14 to 19, 5-5 to 5-8 and 150 pounds, and wearing black hooded sweatshirts, black pants and black ski masks.
A man reported that three men robbed him at about 2 a.m. Sunday, July 9, in the parking lot of the BP gas station, 3201 W. Montrose Ave., according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The 26-year-old man reported that he went inside to pay for gas when he saw a black sedan pulled into the station, according to police. The man reported that he exited to return to his vehicle when three men approached him armed with handguns, took $2,000 in cash, two debit cards, shoes and his car keys, then got back into the black sedan and fled south on Kedzie, police said.
The three men were described as Black, age 18 to 25, 5-7 to 5-10 and 150 to 175 pounds. One of the men was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with gray strings, black sweatpants and black gym shoes. Another man was described as wearing a gray ski mask and black jeans. The third man was described as wearing a black ski mask.
A man reported that he was robbed after a man attacked him between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Sunday, July 9, in the parking lot of Chase Bank, 3204 W. Irving Park Road, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The man reported that he withdrew cash from the automated teller machine when a man “came out of nowhere,” put a gun to his left temple and demanded cash, according to police.
The man reported that he turned toward the man and told him he had nothing, when the struck him in the head with the gun and took his wallet containing a debit card and $80 in cash, police said.
The man was only described as age 25 and 5-10, with a “medium brown” complexion.
An employee of Jeff’s Red Hots, 3901 N. Cicero Ave., reported that a man threatened him with a wooden object at about 10:20 a.m. Monday, July 17, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The employee reported that he asked the man to move his belongings since they were blocking the door to a storage area, when the man became angry, according to police. The employee reported that he went to throw trash into the dumpster when the man walked toward him and picked up a wooden object, so he fled into the restaurant, police said. Officers found a man matching a description standing in the alley but when they approached him for an interview, the man fled south on foot in the alley, then west on Byron until officers lost sight of him, according to police.
The man was described as White, age 40 to 50, 5-7 to 5-9 and 150 to 170 pounds, with short white hair, wearing a black T-shirt, blue jeans and brown boots, and answering to the name “Tony.”
A man reported that he was carjacked at about 2:10 a.m. Thursday, July 13, in the 4900 block of North Keeler Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The 30-year-old man reported that he was putting luggage into his gray 2021 Toyota Camry when three men exited a white vehicle and one of them told him to “get on the floor,” according to police. The man reported that he placed his wallet containing $560 in cash, his cell phone and his car keys on the ground, one of the three men picked up his belongings and all three men got into his Toyota, then fled north on Keeler, police said. The man reported that the men drove away with the luggage he loaded into the vehicle, which contained a laptop computer and a tablet device, according to police.
The three men were only described as Black, wearing black ski masks, black sweatshirts and black pants.
A man reported that an armed man attempted to rob him at about 1:55 p.m. Wednesday, July 12, in the 2800 block of West Eastwood Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The 47-year-old man reported that he was unloading groceries from his vehicle when a man pointed a black handgun and demanded keys to his vehicle several times, according to police. The man reported that he kept distance between himself and the man, then began yelling for help and the man fled west on Eastwood, police said.
The man with the handgun was described as Black and 5-2, with a circle tattoo on his left cheek, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants with white stripes and black gym shoes.
A man and a woman reported that three men with handguns robbed them separately at about 2 p.m. Friday, July 14, in the drive-through area of the parking lot of Bank of America, 3260 W. Belmont Ave., according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The 33-year-old man and 50-year-old woman reported that they were withdrawing money from the automated teller machines when three men exited a black sedan with handguns and demanded their belongings, according to police.
The 33-year-old man reported that the men took his wallet containing $175 in cash and his city employee identification card, police said. The 50-year-old woman reported that the men took $100in cash from her, according to police. The man and woman reported that the three men then got back into the black sedan and fled in an unknown direction, police said.
The three men were only described as Black.
A man reported that two men attacked him and stole his cell phone at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, in the 4700 block of North Kedvale Avenue, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
The 19-year-old man reported that he was walking on the sidewalk with his cell phone in his hand when two men exited a vehicle, punched him in the face multiple times, took his phone, got back into the vehicle and fled, according to police
The man reported that he was injured in the upper part of his left eye, police said. The two men were only described as Black, and wearing gray T-shirts.
Six catalytic converter thefts were reported in the area between 6:45 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, and 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, according to 17th (Albany Park) District police.
Thefts were reported in the 4900 block of North Central Park Avenue, the 4000 block of North California Avenue, the 3800 block of North Kedzie Avenue, the 4100 block of West Ainslie Street, the 3800 block of North Kilpatrick Avenue and in the 4800 block of North Kedvale Avenue, according to police.
