Southland crime: Vehicle crashes into park sign in Homer Glen, and more

Dec. 8--Editor's note: Police blotter information is provided by local police departments. The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily limited access to some offices, so police and crime reports from some communities are not immediately available.

Homer Glen

CRIMINAL DAMAGE: Police said someone caused $2,000 worth of damage after crashing into a large welcome sign at Trantina Farm Park, 15744 W. 151st St., on Oct. 30.

VANDALISM: Police said someone "egged" several cars parked in the 14000 block of Pheasant Lane Oct. 31.

CAR BURGLARY: Video surveillance captured an unknown man stealing a bag of hand tools from an unlocked car parked in the 15000 block of Leach Drive Nov. 11.

PHONE SCAM: A man on West Forest View Drive told police on Nov. 12 that he was scammed out of several thousand dollars after receiving a voicemail stating his Social Security account had been flagged for fraud in Texas. The victim called the number back and followed instructions from a person posing as a government employee to transfer money using a money order to "protect his assets."

CAR BURGLARY: Police said someone broke a car window and stole a woman's purse when the victim was parked at the Trantina Dog Park, 15717 W. 151st St., on Nov. 14.

New Lenox

DUI ARREST: Artemio Pinon, 24, of Joliet, was arrested and accused of drunken driving after passing out in the drive thru at McDonald's in the 600 block of West U.S. 30 Nov. 29, police said.

RETAIL THEFT: Bessie Rowlen, 54, of Joliet and Latrice Washington, 34, also of Joliet, were arrested and accused of retail theft after stealing more than $240 worth of merchandise from Walmart, 501 E. U.S. 30, on Dec. 2, police said.

Orland Park

DUI ARREST: Jesus Dorado, 65, of the 10200 block of Huntington Court, Orland Park, was arrested and accused of drunken driving and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after crashing into a parked car and sending it careening into a residential front yard on Nov. 6 on Huntington Court, police said.

RETAIL THEFT: Jennifer Parker, 47, of El Paso, IL., was arrested and accused of obstructing identification and retail theft after stealing merchandise from Meijer, 15701 71st Court, on Nov. 11, police said. She was additionally charged with three bond forfeiture warrants plus numerous warrants from Woodford County and Cook County for failure to appear on retail theft charges. Parker's passenger, Kara Peterson-Gale, 35, of Bolingbrook, was arrested and accused of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a narcotic instrument, police said.

RETAIL THEFT: Jeffrey Worderlmann, 60, of the 12200 block of Maple Avenue, Blue Island, was arrested and accused of felony retail theft after stealing two chainsaws valued at $650 from Home Depot, 7300 159th St., on Nov. 19, police said.

Oak Forest

BURGLARY: A woman told police someone stole numerous boxes of diapers and a GPS system from her locked car when she was parked outside of her home the 6800 block of Ridge Point Drive Nov. 22-23. The thief also entered her attached garage and stole a large television and more boxes of diapers.

CONVERTERS STOLEN: Police said two unknown men were captured on video surveillance stealing the catalytic converters from two box trucks parked outside of Eco Lighting Services, 4161 166th St., on Nov. 23.

BUSINESS BURGLARY: Police said someone shattered several front window panes and stole clothing from The Shop, 4142 W. 157th St., around 4:30 a.m. on Nov. 26. A witness told police he was at a nearby gas station when he heard a loud "boom" and saw a blue and white moving truck parked outside of the store. The truck was later discovered parked outside of the front entrance of CubeSmart. Police said it appeared someone had stolen the truck's catalytic converter before abandoning the truck. Stolen merchandise from The Shop was discovered on the ground near the truck, which belonged to Penske Truck Rental and had not been reported stolen.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE: A man told police a man tore out a lighted decoration from his front yard in the 14700 block of Long Avenue Nov. 29.

THEFT: A man told police someone stole his bicycle from outside of Jewel-Osco, 5616 W. 159th St., on Dec. 6.

WEAPONS ARREST: William Cozzie, 34, of the 12200 block of Derby Lane, Orland Park, was arrested and accused of two counts of unlawful possession of weapons by a felon after being questioned by police in the 16900 block of Forest Avenue Dec. 5., police said. He was also ticketed for possession of marijuana and an open alcohol violation.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE: Police said someone intentionally removed multiple panels of a perimeter fence at Full Service Auto Care, 15426 S. Cicero Ave., on Dec. 5.

Palos Heights

BURGLARY: Police said someone stole a $7,000 Rolex watch from a home in the 11700 block of Seagull Lane sometime during the time period of Oct. 1 -- Nov. 22.

DUI ARREST: Jan Czaja, 58, of the 12300 block of Natchez Avenue, Palos Heights, was arrested and accused of drunken driving, no insurance and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident Nov. 28 after crashing into a mailbox near his home, police said.

Tinley Park

STOLEN CAR: A woman told police someone stole her 2002 green Ford Explorer after it stalled in the 18100 block of Harlem Avenue and was left unattended Nov. 4-7.

LAWNMOWER STOLEN: A man told police someone stole his $350 lawnmower when he left it near the parkway in front of his home in the 16700 block of Oconto Avenue Nov. 16. The victim said he went inside for 20 minutes and the lawnmower was gone when he came back outside.

AGGRAVATED BATTERY: John Lucas, 47, address unknown, was arrested and accused of felony aggravated battery and two counts of felony aggravated assault after police said he made numerous "homicidal" statements regarding a female victim and towards police officers investigating a domestic disturbance Nov. 16 in the 17400 block of 69th Avenue, police said. While being transported to South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Lucas allegedly battered a paramedic by punching him numerous times with a closed fist, according to a police report.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE: Two unknown men were captured on surveillance video breaking the windows of three cars parked outside of Hamada Restaurant, 18310 N. Creek Drive, on Nov. 16. Nothing appeared to be stolen from the vehicles.

PICKPOCKET: A 94-year-old man told police someone stole his wallet from his pocket while he was shopping at Menards, 6851 W. 159th St. , on Nov. 17. The victim said an unknown man had "squeezed" past him in an aisle and that he discovered his wallet missing at the register. By the time he returned home he had numerous security messages regarding his credit cards. The thief made a total of $4,220 fraudulent charges in the short time period, including a $2,000 purchase at a CVS in Midlothian and several other fraudulent purchases of more than $700 apiece were made at Walgreens locations in Midlothian and Posen.

RETAIL THEFT: Kevin Cox, 33, address unknown, and Christopher Cox, 31, address unknown, were arrested and accused of retail theft after stealing $340 worth of merchandise from Menards, 6851 W. 159th St., on Nov. 19, police said.

STOLEN PACKAGES: A woman told police someone stole $160 worth of packages delivered to her home in the 7000 block of 187th Street Nov. 20.

Will County

THEFT: Police said an unknown man stole cash from the checkout counter of Speedway Gas Station, 19730 S. Harlem Ave., on Oct. 27. An employee told police he was counting money when the suspect asked him to retrieve a pack of cigarettes. He set the money down on the counter and the suspect snatched it and fled the store.

CAR BURGLARY: Police said someone stole a toolbox, jumper cables, pool cues, an iPad, a Chromebook, jewelry and other items from two unlocked cars parked in the 21000 block in the 78th Avenue in Frankfort Township on Nov. 1. The thief or thieves also flattened two tires on one car and discharged a fire extinguisher inside.

VANDALISM: Police said someone spray-painted an offensive word on the side of a car parked in the 7700 block of West Garland Court in Frankfort Township Nov. 2. The offender also flattened one of the car's tires.

BURGLARY: Police said someone stole a 2008 Ford F250 with an attached trailer plus power tools and a commercial lawn mower Nov. 15 in the 9400 block of West St. Francis Road in Frankfort Township

SHOOTING VICTIM: Will County Sheriff's Police said they discovered a 38-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the back after responding to a call at the BP Gas Station at 24525 S. Western Ave. in Crete at 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. A woman described as the victim's friend said the victim called her and explained he had been shot at another location. The woman picked up the victim from a road near University Parkway and drove him to the gas station where she contacted police. The victim was transported to Franciscan Health in Olympia Fields but refused to cooperate with questioning.

University Park police told Will County Sheriff's Deputies they responded to a call of shots fired during the same time frame and subsequently made an arrest, but it was not immediately clear if the two incidents were related.

Oak Lawn

RETAIL THEFT: Jose C. Acevedo, 25, undisclosed block of Keeler Avenue, Oak Lawn, was arrested and accused of retail theft Nov. 18 at Mariano's, 11000 Cicero Ave., after stealing beverages and laundry detergent pods collectively selling for $212.85, police said.

CAR BURGLARY: A wallet was reported stolen from a vehicle Nov. 18 in an undisclosed block of Keeler Avenue.

NO LICENSE: Jorge Bermudez, 44, Chicago, was arrested and accused of driving without a valid license and failing to reduce speed to avoid a collision during a Nov. 19 investigation of a two-vehicle crash at 95th Street and Ridgeland Avenue, police said.

BATTERY: Anthony Scott III, 23, Bolingbrook, was arrested and accused of battery Nov. 20 at Advocate Christ Medical Center's emergency room after injuring two security officers during an argument involving a shooting victim's family members, police said. Scott, taken into custody in the 9500 block of Pulaski Road, was also accused of fleeing/attempting to elude peace officers and driving on a suspended license, police said.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT: Mahdi L. Khalil, 32, Morton Grove, was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct Nov. 21 in the CopperTop Tavern parking lot, 5207 95th St., where he was verbally challenging patrons and responding officers and also screaming obscenities, police said.

CAR BURGLARY: The Cook County State's Attorney's Office approved a felony charge of motor-vehicle burglary against George L. Evans, 31, Hammond, Ind., relating to a Nov. 22 break-in in the 5000 block of Oak Center Drive, police said. In a related action, Jesus Patino, 29, Chicago, was arrested and accused of fleeing/attempting to elude peace officers and driving on a revoked license in the 5400 block of 102nd Street, police said.

THEFT: A customer's unattended wallet was stolen during checkout Nov. 22 at Jewel-Osco, 4650 103rd St.

CAR BURGLARY: A knife and change were reported stolen Nov. 23 from an unlocked car parked in a driveway in an undisclosed block of Lawler Avenue.

CAR BURGLARY: A laptop computer was reported stolen Nov. 23 from a vehicle briefly parked in a business lot in an undisclosed block of Cicero Avenue.

NO LICENSE: Obidise O. Walker, 19, Chicago, was arrested and accused of driving without a valid license, driving without insurance and driving in the wrong lane during a Nov. 24 one-vehicle crash investigation in the 9400 block of Harlem Avenue where he was also served with a Will County warrant for failing to appear in court on a charge of driving without a valid license, police said.

DUI: Efren A. Perez, 43, undisclosed block of Kirkcaldy Court, Palos Heights, was arrested and accused of drunken driving and illegally transporting alcohol during a Nov. 25 two-vehicle crash investigation at 91st Street and Ridgeland Avenue, police said.

VANDALISM: Three exterior window panes were reported shot out by BBs Nov. 25 in the 9400 block of 69th Avenue.

VANDALISM: A shattered rear window and demolished driver's side mirror were reported Nov. 25 on a car parked in front of a home in the 10800 block of Kostner Avenue.

VANDALISM: A shattered rear window was reported Nov. 25 on a car parked in front of a home in the 10400 block of Keeler Avenue.

NARCOTICS: Mark A. Mazurowski, 43, undisclosed block of Long Avenue, Oak Forest, was arrested and accused of illegally possessing a controlled substance after officers recovered two small plastic bags of suspected cocaine during a Nov. 27 stop at 111th Street and Jodan Lane, Alsip, for driving on a suspended license and improper turning, police said. Officers also served Mazurowski with a Lake County warrant for failing to appear in court on an undisclosed charge, police said.

THEFT: A delivered package was reported stolen Nov. 27 from a residence in the 11000 block of Kilbourn Avenue.

THEFT: A delivered package was reported stolen Nov. 27 from the front door of an apartment building in the 9300 block of Harlem Avenue.

VANDALISM: The radiator was reported damaged Nov. 28 on a car parked in a residential lot in the 4700 block of 101st Street.

THEFT: A customer's wallet was stolen from her unattended purse Nov. 28 at HomeGoods, 4950 111th St.

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