Just wondering why it took so long for this to be reported in Patch? I have seen "Breaking News" items about lost dogs. It seems this item would be treated with more urgency? Is it a matter of the Police filing the report? Also, the neighbor with the restaurant in the Englewood area-- do the police think he was the target? Not sure how this pertains to the story? It would be a relief to think it was targeted and not just a random act.

sue s...totally agree!!!

Its just that a story like this requires a bit more research then a lost dog story, so it takes more time to get out.

Oak Lawn is changing folks! There was a time you could work in your garage and feel safe but not anymore! Look around! How many section 8's do you see? Driven over by the apartments south of 103rd and west of Central lately? How many of you who grew up in Chicago remember moving every once in a while because the neighborhood was getting a little rough to live in? Like I said...Oak Lawn is changing and it's not going to get any better!

I also see no significance to the neighbor working in
Englewood... And not for nothing but was surprised that in the PC world of today the author used " Black" instead of African American.

Concerned O L Resident -
People have to step up to the plate and call the police if anything is suspicious - BOTTOM LINE - Unfortunately this is the world we live in.

This is terrible that things like this happen but they happen everywhere Charles - in Winnetka or oh yes...MICHIGAN AVENUE. I would take my lovely Oak Lawn neighborhood over many, many others - city or suburban. Like they say on Metra, "If you SEE something, SAY something - call the police". I've always found the OLPD to be responsive and polite.

Patch:
Really!? You send us breaking news stories about a flipping lost dog, but this kinda of story is not on yout top importance list. You have to be kidding me, you are going to lose the respect of the community if you keep this crap up. Almost 10 days later, no offense but this makes you look incompetent.

Oak Lawn Resident:
Black is PC term used for description. Someone who is Dominican or Jamaican are not African but are also black skin colored.

"...was surprised that in the PC world of today the author used " Black" instead of African American..."

Are you kidding? Read something as horrifying as this and all you can think of is how these pigs were LABELED? Really? Seriously? Racial sensitivity is going much too far. Whoever the perps were, they weren't very sensitive to the needs of the poor man in his garage - and they also deserve to have a cinder block weilded at their heads. How DARE they walk up to someone on his private property and pull this crap? Where the hell do they get off? Seriously, you're not being of any comfort to the victim by making sure we talk all nice about these so-called people. They threatened and robbed an innocent man at gunpoint - such sensitivity has been forfeited, thank you very much. They're still at large - I would love to know how Mr-Van-Dreesen you'd be toward them if they (God forbid) ever did these horrible things to you on your property!

Thanks for the story Lorraine and these people used the words "lets just pop them" so they obviously have no respect for human life. Dont worry about being PC!!!

yeah that's it let's all move out of the town that we love to live in. let's give up and move all the way out the shorewood or crown Point. that's the problem with white people nowadays. they give up instead of fighting for what they believe in. maybe we should have a 10,000 Man March right down the center of 95th Street from Ridgeland all the way to Kedzie during rush hour. don't run away from what you believe in fight to get it back. there should be a sit on your front porch night where everybody in Oaklawn sits on the front porch and stares at people as they walk up and down the street. make the crap in our town feel uncomfortable. this is our town it's not theirs. we pay to live here they don't.

I'm white he's black...or...I'm Irish he's African! Unless you are one of the politically correct people that says We also owe blacks for slavery, many, many years ago.. no one in my family and any one I've ever asked had slaves? Our families all came here Legally to Ellis Island and worked our butts off for what we have.. No hand outs and living for free off the working class..We all know what's going wrong in Oak Lawn and no one will say what it is?/ Just what are we teaching our children except some people(not all) will never work or provide for themselves. We, as the Legal Working American get to pay taxes to provide for these people and do with less for our own families so they can have what we have.. Wake up America..look around..We do have to step forward and make these politicians do what is good for the middle working class. That is what we elected them to do. It's time they stop doing what they want to do!!

Now what are the Police going to do? Stop 2 guys walking together, matching the description of the offenders, in an area where they probably had no reason to be, other than to commit a crime. Then the Peace Keepers have to defend themselves against Racial Profiling! What a world we have. Thank you Dumbocrats.

Funny how people turn things around from being a horible robbery to the writer not using PC correct terminology. Get a life, the people that did this are scum regardless of what race they are. That poor man is very lucky to be alive and it reinforces the need to always keep your eyes open to your surroundings and call the police when you see suspicious activity. I was robbed at gun point when I had my store at 63rd and Western several years ago. Having someone put a gun to the back of your head and make you lie face down on the floor makes a lot of things go through your head. I will tell you that it took me a very long time to get over that trauma. Oak Lawn is a great neighborhood and this could have happened anywhere. Hopefully these thugs will get what they deserve. I feel so bad for what than man is going through.

This is the big issue for the mayor, trustees and Village executives. Much more so than all the silly games the board plays, whether it's the Fall on the Green audits or the Tressler-Querrey&Harrow-Odelson-Godfrey&Kahn lawyer stuff. If Oak Lawn can't be safe - if our government can't be effective at keeping Oak Lawn safe - then it really doesn't matter who gets elected to what position. It won't matter, because people will be leaving.

Message to Oak Lawn government: There aren't really many things we people ask for. Public safety is first on the list. And, frankly, without that, nothing else matters.

I agree that we should not run like our parent's generation. However, how are we to defend ourselves from crime? What about the elderly who are often targets of these brutal morons? I DO live in the neighborhood west of Central & south of 103rd. When incidents of loud parties or fights happen the police are here with-in minutes. With the good police protection we have and neighbors watching out for neighbors we can all feel a little less threatened. Take an interest in your community and support our police. Also, don't support the franchises - such as Hooters or TGIF's - in Oak Lawn. Keep our mom and pop businesses stable.

What the residents should do is call the cops whenever they see someone suspicious That gives them a reason to check the Backpack. That gives them inusrance against profiling .. Dont think these guys are stupid Look at them funny and the dissappear as soon as you turn the corner...
this is coming from a guy who gets regular false witness beared againt him By jilted jealous people ...
Dont be afraid to give your name, your not the cop nothing can be done to you unless you made the whole thing up

This is just scary as hell. I can't imagine what it must have felt like to hear "Let's just pop him" as I was lying on the ground being robbed. Thankfully the homeowner got out of this alive. Brings tears to my eyes to think of it happening to me or anyone I know. Who knows why the thugs decided against killing him... maybe they still had a spark of humanity left in them.

This should be the tipping point for people to buy guns to protect themselves. Shoot then and ask later, it's terrible to say that but this could have been a case of him or them! They have the upper hand since there is a 99.9% chance he wouldn't have a gun on him. INSANE!

i know all of my neighbors if i see anyone that doesn't belong on my street i call 911.i figure its better than having the police go thru hours of paper work explaining 2 dead thieves and having to clean up the mess. HooYah!

Aj, what you say may be true, and to be clear I am not opposed to guns in any way, but for a gun to have been effective in this case, the victim either would have had to have it on him while working in his garage (really?) or he would have had to excuse himself from the robbers to go get it. Just being in the house wouldn't be enough. Is there an answer to that dilemma?

Borinol and Comic Relief, both your comments danced on the border of violating Patch's terms of use. You may rephrase and repost. For a refresher course, take a long at Patch's TOU. http://oaklawn.patch.com/terms

having it on him is the answer, with a holster it is not that strange.

RIGHT ON AJ.
2ND AMENDMENT PEOPLE, 2ND AMENDMENT!
AND DIST. 2 COURIOUS. IF ILLINOIS HAD THE RIGHT TO CARRY AS EVERY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY, WOULDN'T THE FACT OF JUST KNOWING THAT THE PERSON YOU MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT ROBBING, OR ASSAULTING JUST MIGHT BE PACKIN SOME HEAT OF HIS OWN BE A BIT OF A DETERRENT?
IT REALLY SUCKS THAT WHEN ONLY THE COPS WHO CANNOT BE EVERYWHERE THEY ARE NEEDED WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED AND THE CRIMINALS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN CARRY, AND THE GUY WHO SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT HIMSELF, FAMILY, NIEGHBORS AND ANY PERSON IN DISTRESS CAN NOT.
2ND AMENDMENT ILLINOIS, 2ND AMENDMENT.
AND TO THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED, I WOULD RATHER BE CAUGHT WITH IT THAN TO BE CAUGHT WITHOUT IT!

I think the guy with the restaurant in Englewood should be checked out. Is he bringing that trash over to our neighborhood? Were these people after him for giving them a bad deal on food or something? There's usually a connection somewhere. Check him and his family out!

Carry a gun while working in your garage or yard? Really? YES!!!!! Get a FOID card,purchase a firearm legally,and take a basic safety/training course. It IS legal to carry a firearm on your property!!!! EVERYONE in your home should be informed on the proper use/safety of a firearm. Do NOT be a victim !!!

Seriously Lorraine? The only dancing I'll be doing is when I hear shots fired. What happened to that man is bogus and now you have two dirtbags is on the loose.

I agree with you, Borninol.

Police2Citizen website has Oak Lawn Police arrests, incidents, and accidents:
http://www.oaklawnecomm.org/p2c/main.aspx
Stay informed. Access also for Evergreen, Burbank & Bridgeview.

1. I'm curious if a community alert phone call went out after this robbery. I know we didn't get one here. 2. It sounds like the two criminals could have been after the owner of the restaurant ~ thinking he brought money home to store in a safe. There was a similar crime a while ago involving a family who owned a gas station in Englewood. 3. Every time there's a crime involving blacks/african americans someone posts a comment about all of the section 8 housing in Oak Lawn. Well we had a guy who's a realtor in Oak Lawn post a while ago on another thread that he didn't know of any section 8 housing in Oak Lawn. Seems like a realtor would know. So I view the section 8 comments as fear mongering. 4. Oak Lawn is a great place to live. Running seems a weak response to any problem. Many of our parents and grandparents ran from Englewood/New City in the 60's. What did that accomplish? Nothing. Politics aside I agree with Dr Bury on this one. The Police can't be everywhere. If we see suspicious people we need to call the Police and not ignore them. If running accomplished nothing back in the 60's then it makes sense that staying and fighting intelligently for our community now should make a difference. And it's important to note that there are nice families of all races and religions in Oak Lawn who don't want criminals here.

I don't believe that the two perpetrators live in Oak Lawn so I am confused by the comments about Oak Lawn changing. It's a terrible thing to write.