The Park Forest Police Station. (Photo: Gary Kopycinski)
Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)–Editor’s Note: We continue our reporting on news from police reports. Besides covering the many stories from around Park Forest that otherwise might go unnoticed, we want to bring more complete coverage of police reports than is reported by other local media.
An arrest does not mean that a person is guilty. All those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It is the policy of eNews Park Forest to not remove items in the public record from publication. If your name is listed in the police reports, we will only add information relevant to the final disposition of the case at hand, e.g. "Mr. Smith was subsequently acquitted," "Mr. Smith entered a guilty plea," or "All charges against Mr. Smith were subsequently dropped." We will do so upon receiving and verifying proof of such disposition.
Persons wishing to leave anonymous information on any criminal matters including narcotics or gang activity are encouraged to call 708-748-1309 and leave a message on Detective Beilke’s voice mail.
A vehicle that had been reported stolen on September 21 from the first block of Elm Street in Park Forest was recovered by police and stored at a towing company in Matteson. Police say the driver’s front door window was shattered and there was a hole in the outer drivers door skin, just underneath the window. The outer wheel well molding surrounding the drivers side front tire was partially melted. Police detected a strong odor of gasoline. Police are investigating the circumstances of the theft.
A resident went to her bank on September 25 and discovered six unauthorized charges against her debit card. The charges were in excess of $400. Police are investigating.
Police say a student at Rich East High School attempted to pay for a parking space with a counterfeit $20 bill on September 27. When the students mother was contacted, she came to the school immediately to pay for the parking space. She also related that she was unaware of where she had received the bill and had no idea that it was counterfeit. There were no arrests. The bill was placed into evidence and the US Secret Service was to be notified.
Police say a juvenile was robbed of $27 at knife point on September 27 while walking near the intersection of Westwood Drive and Westgate Street. The juvenile was approached by a man who demanded money. After giving the suspect  the money, the man said, "I need to check if you’re hiding money." The man then grabbed her breast and she pushed his hand away. The man then threatened to cut her if she did that again, this time reaching for her crotch area. The juvenile pushed his hand away and begin to scream. The man then ran away. Police described the offender as having medium skin tone, 5’6", a skinny frame, approximately 23 to 25 years old, wearing a red baseball hat, black sunglasses, white T-shirt, blue basketball style shorts, white socks, and sandals.
Two juveniles were arrested on October 4 and processed on robbery charges when police were dispatched to Western Avenue and Birch Street regarding a robbery that had just occurred.
A vehicle parked in the 100 block of Nanti Street was reported vandalized with scratches on October 5. Police say there were scratches all over the vehicle.
A cell phone that had been lost by a student getting off a school bus on his way home from school on October 4, was turned over to the Park Forest Police Department by a resident who said a woman knocked on her door, finding the phone in her yard, and asking if the phone belong to her. The resident told the woman that the phone did not belong to her, but she would take it to the police. Police were able to activate the phone on October 6 after charging it and return the phone to its owner.
Garrick M. Johnson, 31, 600 Cedar Ridge Ln., Richton Park, was arrested on October 6 and charged with criminal trespass to real property when police were dispatched to a gas station in the 300 block of Sauk Trail to investigate a disturbance involving a man in a robe.
David S. Townsend, 51, 335 Blackhawk Dr., Park Forest, was arrested on October 6 and charged with criminal damage to property when police received word from a member of the Cook County Adult Probation Department received a "tamper alert" from an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, indicating that the bracelet had been cut off from the individual. Police say Townsend told them that he removed the ankle bracelet because his ankle had swollen after a recent heart attack.
Police responded to the 400 block of Shabbona Drive on October 6 regarding a report of a subject "mooning" a resident. The resident was inside her home and the subject was outside in her yard. After this incident, police say the subject turned, faced the window he was standing in front of, and began to masturbate. The resident called police.
Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Lakewood Boulevard on October 7 to investigate a robbery that had just occurred. Police say a resident told them that, while driving southbound on Wildwood Drive approaching Lakewood Boulevard, the man stopped at the intersection and then attempted to make a right turn onto Lakewood Boulevard. He told police that he did not see two subjects who were walking across Lakewood as he turned. He proceeded with a turn, according to police, and his front passenger-side bumper struck the two subjects. The man said that the impact was at a very slow speed and neither subject fell down after the collision. He then waved to the two subjects to follow him to his driveway. The subjects followed and he parked his car and spoke with the subjects near the vehicle. He asked if they were okay and if he should call police for help. Both subjects advised him not to call the police. One of them did, however, ask the resident for $30 to "get a beer." The resident told them he would not give them the money for the accident but offered to allow them to rake his leaves in his front yard for the $30. The subjects took his wallet, which contained $200, according to police.
A cell phone was reported stolen from a business in the 100 block of South Orchard Drive on October 7. The phone had been left on a seat.
Police say a man returning home in the 100 block of Dogwood Street was almost robbed at gunpoint by a male subject who pulled a chrome revolver from his waistband and pointed it directly at the resident’s face. With the gun pointed at him, the resident said, "You don’t want to do that, I’m a retired Army Ranger and a firearms instructor." The resident then took up a defensive stance and the man with the gun turned and ran. Police are investigating.
Louie J. Facko, 48, homeless, was arrested on October 7 and charged with criminal damage to property when he allegedly disconnected wires to an electric box at a residence in the 300 block of Miami Street, causing the power to go out, according to police.
A wallet was reported stolen from a purse left inside an unlocked vehicle in the first block of Cedar Street on October 8.
A resident told police that she discovered fraudulent charges on her debit card on October 9.
An unattended mobile phone was reported stolen from the bar area of a business in the 300 block of Victory Drive on October 10. The theft occurred October 1, according to police.
A black 20-inch Mongoose bicycle was reported stolen on October 10 from Forest Trail Middle School where it had been secured to a bike rack.
A jewelry box containing two rings valued at $200 each and other items of jewelry were reported stolen on October 10 from a residence in the 400 block of Winnebago Street during a burglary.
An iPhone 5 was reported stolen from a student walking home from school in the 400 block of Watseka Street on October 10.
Two juveniles were arrested on October 11 and charged with battery when police responded to the 100 block of Indianwood Boulevard to investigate a report of a disturbance.
A juvenile was arrested on October 11 and processed on a charge of misdemeanor criminal defacement of property after police were dispatched to the Park Forest Library, 400 Lakewood Boulevard, to investigate a report of criminal defacement to property.
