Reported violent crime down this year in 16th District, where Commander Vanna is retiring

by BRIAN NADIG

The number of reported violent crimes in the 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District is down by 32 percent this year, while decreases in most property crime categories also have occurred, according to district commander Robert Vanna, who will be retiring on May 1.

“As far as statistics just about everything is decreasing except burglaries from autos, … and the trend we’re seeing (on car break-ins) is unlocked doors,” Vanna said at the April 17 meeting of the 16th District Advisory Committee.

The number of reported violent crimes, including robberies, this year through April 16 was 93 compared to 137 during the same period in 2024, Vanna said. The biggest drop is with robberies, which are down about 47 percent, with 25 this year and 47 through the same period last year, he said.

Targeted missions in problem areas and increased use of technology have helped the district address some key issues, Vanna said. The district has launched a burglary/robbery team that helps gather surveillance footage and other evidence for detectives.

While the number of reported thefts from motor vehicles is up about 17 percent, with 195 reported incidents compared to 167 last year, the number of car thefts are down 41 percent, from 197 in 2024 through April 16 to 116 this year, according to Vanna.

A car theft suspect was arrested on March 17 after a police helicopter followed a stolen Lexus from around the Central-Elston intersection to the 4900 block of North Lowell Avenue in Mayfair, where the driver abandoned the car and officers found him hiding between houses. The 16th District Strategic Decision Support Center, which has access to police observation cameras along roadways, assisted with the investigation.

In addition, the number of burglaries is down 15 percent, with 61 this year compared to 72 last year. About 20 of this year’s break-ins occurred to businesses on days where multiple stores and restaurants were hit in a two-block radius.

A man suspected in residential burglaries was taken into custody recently after residents reported a rental truck near an Oriole Park home.

Overall violent crimes this year are down when compared to several recent years, while the number of property crimes this year is higher than the 2021 totals through mid-April.

Also at the meeting, Vanna reported that he is retiring from the Chicago police force after about 34 years of service. A replacement for Vanna has not been announced.

Vanna, who was appointed the district’s commander last July, grew up on the South Side but now lives on the Northwest Side. “I’m from a police family. My dad served 34 years,” he said last year. “My entire existence has been police.”

Vanna has said that lengthy police careers like his will likely became a thing of the past and that the department will continue to focus of efficiency improvements made possible through technological advancements.

Meanwhile, the advisory committee honored officers Michael Laurie and Samer Ihmoud as “Officers of the Month” for their Feb. 21 arrest of a woman who was charged with aggravated battery and discharge of a firearm in connection with a man being shot in the leg at an Edison Park home during a reported altercation among acquaintances.

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