Teen robbed, pistol whipped near Portage Park; burglars use gun to threaten Pensacola Ave. residents

He reported that a man attacked him and stole his bicycle at about 11:40 a.m. Thursday, June 25, in the 5600 block of West Irving Park Road, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The boy reported that he was riding his bike on the sidewalk when a man approached him and asked if he wanted to buy cannabis, according to police. The boy reported that he told the man no, and that the man then demanded his bicycle and tried to take it from him, police said.

The boy also reported that he refused to get off his bicycle and that the assailant then pulled out a handgun and pistol-whipped him in the left side of his face and stole his bicycle, which was valued at about $2,000, police said.

The assailant fled east on Irving Park and rode through Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave., according to police.

The teen was transported to Community First Medical Center, where he was treated for redness and swelling on his face, police said.

The man was described as age 20 to 30, 5-10 and 160 pounds, and wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, gray pants and white Nike gym shoes, according to police.

A woman told police that she witnessed the incident and that the nearby business she works at could provided surveillance footage, according to police.

Meanwhile, a man reported that another man threatened him and his adult son with a handgun at about 4:30 am. Tuesday, June 23, when they tried to stop a group of three men from burglarizing his work van which was parked in the 5400 block of West Pensacola Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The father reported that he heard his vehicle’s alarm go off so he went outside to investigate and saw three men standing near his vehicle, according to police.

He also told officers that his son came outside as one of the men broke the driver’s side window of his vehicle and one of the men pointed a handgun with a green laser attachment at them, police said.

The father also reported that he and his son shined flashlights at the men and told them to stay where they were but the men grabbed a power tool, which was valued at $300, and fled in two vehicles, which were described as a beige Nissan sedan and a white Acura sport utility vehicle, according to police.

The three men were only described as wearing black ski masks, police said.

Also, in the Jefferson Park area, a 17-year-old male was taken into custody following a report of someone with a gun walking near the Milwaukee-Lawrence intersection at about 2 a.m. Friday, June 26, police said.

The teen, who initially would not provide his name to officers, was found to possess a knife, and it was later determined that his parents had reported him missing, police said.

A curfew violation report was completed, and his mother was contacted, police said.

Also, at the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., a man was cited on Wednesday, June 24, for smoking on CTA property and also faces charges for possessing suspected heroin and crack, police said.

He reportedly presented officers with identification that had someone else’s picture on it, and it was later determined that a warrant had been issued for his arrest, police said.