Crime & Safety

POLICE BLOTTER: Irate Customer Shoves Senior, Retail Theft

Oak Lawn police reports, Nov. 27 through Dec. 12.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12


Irate Customer Shoves Senior

An 89-year-old man was injured after he was shoved to the floor by an angry customer at the Shell gas station at 10601 S. Cicero Ave.

Police responded to the battery call around 1:49 p.m. The senior told police that a man entered the gas station and was yelling at the clerks about a gas pump not working when he told the man to calm down.

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The man turned toward the senior and pushed him backwards. The senior landed on his side on the floor. A witness huddled around the victim so the yelling man would not hit the injured elderly man again.

The man was last seen getting into a blue Dodge caravan and heading eastbound on 106th Street. The witness was able to provide police with the license plate number. Other witnesses backed the elderly victim’s statements.

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The senior citizen was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center for treatment.

Police tracked down the plate to an Oak Lawn address. The senior was not sure if wanted to pursue charges at the time of the report.

The gas station is providing a video of the incident to police.


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11


Banned from Kmart

Police cited a Naperville man for retail theft when he was stopped outside of Kmart at 4101 W. 95th St. with stolen merchandise, reports said.

Nathan I. Helms, 18, was spotted allegedly concealing two packs of condoms and a bottle of Visine eye drops in his coat pocket and walking out of the store without paying around 8:08 p.m.

He was stopped by a loss prevention officer and was escorted back to the security office. Police said he admitted taking the items.

Helms is scheduled to appear at an adjudication hearing on Jan. 7. Police told Helms he is not to return to Kmart, reports said.


WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27


Hid Tequila Up Her Sleeve

A Chicago woman was charged with felony retail theft and possession of drug paraphernalia after she allegedly stole a bottle of tequila from an Oak Lawn liquor store, reports said.

A customer alerted staff at Kenwood Wine and Liquors at 10750 S. Cicero Ave. that she saw a customer allegedly conceal a one-liter bottle of Jose Cuervo in her coat.

The woman, identified as Monique Sullivan, 43, was with other people who paid for their merchandise when Sullivan followed them to the door without paying for the concealed bottle, police said.

Once she passed the last register, an employee shouted, “Give us our bottle back,” according the report. Police said that Sullivan walked over the employee and pulled the bottle out of her sleeve.

Sullivan was detained until police arrived. When police ran her name, they learned that she had an active warrant out of Cook County for a probation violation for retail theft, reports said.

She was arrested and taken to the Oak Lawn police station. Sullivan allegedly told police that she went to the store with her godmother and picked up a bottle of tequila and had it tucked in by her left arm.

Sullivan then stated that she passed the register and realized she still had the bottle, so she walked back and set it down, police said.

Police also found two silver pipes with burnt copper meshing in Sullivan’s purse, reports said. When asked about the pipes, Sullivan allegedly admitted to having a crack addiction. Sullivan was charged with felony retail theft based on past convictions. She is currently being held in Cook County Jail. She’s due back in court on Jan. 7.


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