Close Chuck E. Cheese's in OL. Please, I live right behind there. Where are the parents of these kids (aka-gangbangers)? Limit the amount of miles a kid can travel without a parent. Stay in your own neighborhood. Wow, what has this city become.

If I understand this correctly it was CPS teachers who reported to authorities this might happen. Hence the "children" are known so lets hold the "parents" of these upstanding young thugs responsible for all the money spent to protect us and Chicago Ridge mall. Class action suit??

As an Oak Lawn resident I believe our municipal government should take an aggressive and evasive approach on the protection of our neighborhood. The one and only blessing in disguise from the remnants of the financial collapse and real estate depreciation has been that it has made it harder for newcomers from othr bad neighborhoods to damage our beautiful town (for the most part). Although our property taxes have been unpleasant to pay, it makes unwanted potential newcomers to think twice about moving into here. But we must take a more aggressive stance. We can just look at the bad shape of Burbank, Hometown, and Bridgeview to wake us up and take initiatives to prevent the externalities that have spilled over in these neighborhoods to spill onto us. My family lives ver happily here in the Oak Lawn Pavilion neighborhood and to know that some morons coming from some public bus from their broke down neighborhoods will be nearby the neighborhood mall is troublesome to deal with. More aggressive police patrolling, more governmental intervention, more cooperation between Oak Lawn - Palos Hills - Worth - Chicago Ridge - and Hickory Hills police forces and government officials.

TheUNowen's comments are the other thing that is wrong with society. He, or she, is just as dangerous as the people he is talking about.

R, I think we all know what type of people have moved into Hometown.

Ken, I agree with you in regards to ignorance but the unownens comment isn't completely falliable. Your behaviors and mannerisms are conditioned by the type of environment you're raised in and the parenting. These people coming here are from rundown neighborhoods with a beat down socioeconomic status - you can make an argument that part of the relationship with this is the limited amount of resources in their neighborhoods but I don't know how much of a plausible excuse this is to act up and not uphold morals.

I think it is safer for us and our children to stay out of the malls around here. We travel to Burr Ridge, La Grange, Yorktown to be safe when we want to shop our go to a movie. I stopped letting my kids go to Chicago Ridge 4 years ago when I notice a change in the clientele. We even avoid the restaurants because of the tricks our family saw being done by customers. I don't want my kids thinking lies and dishonesty are the way to pay for your meals!

The ghetto black underclass are a destructive cancer that will kill everthing it touches. Its no use traveling to other areas they will eventually destroy that area too. Here is the sequence Evergreen Plaza-Ford City-:Lincoln Mall - River Oaks- and now Chicago Ridge. I frequent this mall and its sad to see the changes for the worst. There needs to be a change to the bus system. It should only operate as shuttles for the mall workers, or the mall can come up with some type of shuttle transport exsclusively for the workers because public transport has been shut down.

Its not rocket science when you follow the urban teens you follow the crime.

I would like to know what type of ppl moved into hometown?
the problem with ghetto kids is they lack respect, discipline, and that should be taught at home. so first and foremost its the parents fault. the fact that there police officers from 3 neighboring areas had to sit and wait for these losers to show up or not was waste of time and money. some of these ppl are a waste of skin.

It's funny how my comment got blocked for speaking my opinion which is my first right as an American

My liberal friends always say us conservatives complain and never have solutions. I have many solutions to this problem of poor inner city African Americans and white trash. STOP MAKING CHILDREN! You don't have money. Why would you create a child with no viable means of support. The same applies to WHITE TRASH also. Stop blaming the man (aka: white people) for your problems. How many souls were lost during the Civil War to abolish slavery? 500,000 + Stop wearing pants with your boxers hanging out. Do you have any idea of how stupid you look? Stop depending on the federal government for survival. Stop speaking EBONICS! GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!
If you think America has no opportunities, go to Cuba, North Korea or any other rat hole country where socialism/communism dominates and see how long you would last. Better yet, go to North Korea with Dennis (the clown) Rodman.
Once again, Lyndon Johnson's GREAT SOCIETY has been the greatest societal failure in the history of the US. $16 trillion down the black hole (no pun intended). How much more money has to be extorted from the taxpayer to lift up people who don't want to be lifted up. The black family has been destroyed in order to get votes for the party of the DONKEY. Can you spell Democrat. John Kennedy is rolling in his grave.

Lol!

Mr.Ed you are so right! :

I am a parent if two and if my children did any thing, close to, this BS the police would be the last thing they would be worried about! That's the problem these kids are not being raised they are running would in these streets and the so called parents don't care what they are doing. And all the young ladies that where in the Ford city video its a damn shame, something most be done and soon before somebody, child gets killed! And Chicago definitely don't need another child losing their live over BS! Oh yeah i'm a black man Fein the Southside who is tired if this BS. Parents raise and control your kids!!

Kevin Ryan you are a total ignorant fool! God bless you. Oh yeah its hot as Hell down there!

Dell H.. Well said your above comment you deserve to be called a Man... :)

As a black person, I'm tired of the negative stereotypes that many of our black youth choose to live up to. The word parent is not just a noun; it's also a verb. Historically speaking, the best way to rise above our oppression is to obtain an education. Let's direct our attention to fighting for a quality education and being our personal best. If only our young people will start to realize that underneath their thug existence, lies a truly intellectual being.

I am more upset with all the racism on this post rather than the potential crime the article discusses above.

Instead of blaming the children, let's help them. Their parents had them, and regardless if the parent cares enough to teach them right from wrong or not...the child did NOT ask to be born, did NOT ask to be treated poorly and did NOT ask to be judged by the likes of you on this board now.

Enough of this political garbage blaming the liberals for Oak Lawn going downhill (even though I do not see it that way).

You know what would help the 'lesser' neighborhoods around Oak Lawn?

IT'S NOT COMPLAINING....but actually having money given to their schools, instead of closing them down...actually having money for the schools to provide transportation...instead of nothing besides the Pace bus which conveniently closes stops in the 'ghetto' you all speak of.

Socialism is not perfect/good in many ways...but when it comes to education and benefiting children's lives...well it is a darn good system to use. Why should a kid suffer because their parent cannot afford to live in a neighborhood with a decent school system?

You can say that's more government help, but for a kid…it is well deserved…any place, any color of skin, all kids deserve a chance.

No, no...right from day one of their birth some kids are set-up to fail in the future due to lack of good public schools.

Yes, having their parents care does matter, but so does having society matter.

Yes, maybe their parents aren't there for them, but we can be, our education system can be. Getting mad and calling them names is only going to cause more problems for the future.

To stop this, we need to treat people how we expect to be treated from day one. And I am sure no one on here ever wants to be treated like they're unwanted in a community.

Help the child from day one, embrace them, EDUCATE them.

PS: One more thing... the Principal, a teacher of color, Spent $8 THOUSAND DOLLARS ON HALLOWEEN CANDY FOR HER GRAMMAR SCHOOL STUDENTS OUT OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET!!

So what you're all saying is it is the parents fault. Which I agree parents do need to be there, or at least one stable adult in their life. But what about the kids who don't have that... I am saying why let them fail? Why can't society help them...not just teachers, but their neighbors, their peers, social workers, friends parents.... I am talking about more than just a teacher. But school is a good place to start considering kids spend a good part of their lives there. That's all I am saying.

why is it that not one person on this thread had said what a great job the CRPD did to avert this potential "smash mob"? Well I say great job CRPD, regardless how Brad Grove, Mike Davies, Jack Lind and the Village Board try to screw you guys and gilrs, you are appreciated by the citizens and that's what matters!!!!!!

A few last comments ..... Why wasn't a reverse 911 call made to areas directly surrounding mall? When bank robbery happened last summer in Oak Lawn this was the procedure. I live at 87th and Oak Park the bank robbery was at 111th and Pulaski I received a reverse 911 call. Being less that 5 minutes from mall I would think this situation called for it.

I am tired of hearing about how "kids" are in need of help. Really?? Aren't their parents the same ones we have been "helping"? So if I can raise mine ..... who work 2 jobs to pay for school because they don't qualify for anything...... Why can't the "kids" from the 60's 70's 80's 90's who received ..... Why can't they do the same??

Social media, what a great tool it is. Thanks for the overtime on Saturday.