Crime & Safety

POLICE BLOTTER: Sting Nets Heroin Arrest, Accused Shoplifter Had Can-Bottom to Cook Heroin

Oak Lawn police reports April 12 through April 17.

TUESDAY, APRIL 17

Woman Reportedly Stole Video Games to Support Drug Habit

A woman accused of retail theft at Kmart, 4101 W. 95th St., was found with drug equipment in her purse, including a small plastic bag with residue, police said. Loss prevention officers told police they watched Sarah K. Johnson, 25, of Merrionette Park, enter the store around 4 p.m. She walked to the electronics department and allegedly removed eight video games from the shelf. Police said Johnson grabbed some clothes off the rack where she proceeded to a fitting room. While in the fitting room, police said Johnson removed the security tags and stashed the games in her purse. She was not carrying clothes when she emerged from the fitting room and walked past the registers without paying for the games, reports said. Loss prevention officers confronted Johnson outside the store. While searching her purse, police said store security recovered the games, as well as a syringe, a small plastic bag with residue, and the bottom of an aluminum can. Johnson allegedly admitted that she used the items for her heroin addiction. She was arrested and taken to the Oak Lawn police station. According to reports, Johnson told police that she intended to bring the games to a dealer near 65th Street and Damen Avenue to trade them for heroin. Police discovered that Johnson had past arrests for retail theft. Johnson was charged with felony retail theft and misdemeanor charges of possession of drug paraphernalia. She was due to appear in court the next day at the time of the report.

THURSDAY, APRIL 12

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Accused Heroin Peddler Takes Cops on Car Chase

Police received information that someone using the name “Radio” was selling heroin out of the Miami Motel at 9041 S. Cicero Ave. “Radio,” whose real name is LaShawn J. Ezell, 32, of the 7300 block of South Oakley Ave. in Chicago, was spotted by surveillance officers returning to the motel around 8:45 p.m. April 12. Ezell was returning to the motel when officers activated their emergency lights and attempted to stop him as he entered the driveway. Police said Ezell was able to exit the driveway and headed east on 91st Street, where he allegedly disobeyed a stop sign at 91st Street and Kilpatrick Avenue, with the cops in pursuit. Ezell turned southbound on Kenton Avenue where he made an illegal right turn on to Cicero Avenue, reports said. He was stopped in a parking lot next door to the motel. Police said Ezell ignored multiple orders to get out of the car, until they removed him and took him to the ground. Eventually police were able to handcuff Ezell and take him to the Oak Lawn police station, where he allegedly admitted to selling heroin to detectives. The contraband sold by Ezell tested positive for heroin, reports said. He was charged with three felonies, including delivery of a controlled substance, aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer and driving with a revoked license. He was held pending a bond hearing the next day.

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