Local Police Reports

Park Forest Police Blotter Reports for September 19, 2014


Park Forest Police Station
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 708-748-1309l.

Scott A. Hights, 19, 43 Sauk Trail, Park Forest, was arrested on September 7 and charged with disorderly conduct when police were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Sauk Trail to investigate a report of a disturbance. Additionally, a juvenile was arrested and charged with theft of property and a second juvenile was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis.

A Sony PlayStation 4 valued at $400 and a gaming headset were reported stolen during a residential burglary from a residence in the first block of Apache Street on September 9.

Tamika L. O’Brien, 27, 2940 Western Ave., Park Forest, was arrested on September 9 and charged with theft of services when police responded to Park Forest Village Hall to investigate a theft of water complaint. According to police, the water meter at O’Brien’s residence had been removed and October 2013 due to nonpayment. A maintenance worker recently that a straight pipe had been inserted where the water meter would have been, allowing for un-metered flowing of water to the residence.

A bicycle valued at $250 was reported stolen from a car port in the 300 block of Osage Street on September 11. While discussing the incident with his neighbor, the victim told police that he observed someone traveling on Ottawa Street toward Monee Road on what appeared to be the victim’s bike. The victim and his neighbor followed the bicycle in a vehicle to determine whether or not it was the victim’s bike. After determining that it was the victim’s bike, the victim approached the subject on the bike and advised him to drop the bike, according to police. The subject allegedly dropped the bicycle and struck the victim in the chest with a closed fist, immediately fleeing on foot. Police are investigating.

Christopher B. Murphy, 23, 6226 Madison Ave., Hammond, was arrested on September 11 and charged with driving while license was suspended, no insurance, and failure to secure a child under eight years old in a safety seat when an officer on patrol at the intersection of Indianwood Boulevard and Western Avenue conducted a LEADS inquiry of a vehicle, discovering that it had been reported stolen out of Chicago. After investigating, police determined that the vehicle had not been stolen.

A man living in a residence in the 300 block of Seminal Street was advised on September 12 that he may have been the victim of fraud by deception. According to police, the owner of the residence told them that he had moved out and the home was in the getting stages of foreclosure. He called police when he observed two subjects inside the residence. According to the owner, no one should have been living there. According to the man living in the residence, he prepaid a rental deposit to a third man, who claimed to be the landlord, after responding to an advertisement that this residence was available to rent. Police are investigating.

Dejuan D. Stacker, 34, 136 Well St., Park Forest, was arrested on September 13 and charged with possession of cannabis and issued a citation charging speeding when an officer performing a stationary radar watch on Blackhawk Drive between Miami Street and Shabbona Drive observed the vehicle Stacker was driving traveling at what appeared to be a high rate of speed, according to police. The officer activated the in-car, mounted radar which indicated that the vehicles speed was 47 MPH in a posted 30 MPH zone, according to police.

Devante C. Robinson, 24, 61 Hemlock St., Park Forest, was arrested on September 13 and charged with retail theft when police were dispatched to a business in the 100 block of Orchard Drive to investigate a report of a retail theft in progress.

Darrick A. Villatoro, 36, 23447 Western Ave., Park Forest, was arrested on September 13 and issued a municipal citation charging trespassing when police were dispatched to the Park Forest Public Library, 400 Lakewood Boulevard, to investigate a report of an unwanted subject.

Taylor A. Moore, 20, 18414 River Rd., Hazel Crest, was arrested on September 13 and charged with driving while license was suspended when an officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Moore was driving because the vehicle did not have a working rear registration light, according to police. Maranda Edwards, 19, 5050 S. Lakeshore Dr., Chicago, a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis.

A cell phone was reported stolen from the Michelle Obama School of Art and Technology, 215 Wilson Street, on September 13.

A landscaping brick was discovered thrown through the windshield of a vehicle parked in the first block of Warwick Court on September 13.

Malcom L. Wiley, 23, 440 Natoma St., Park Forest, was arrested on September 14 and charged with possession of cannabis and issued a traffic citation charging improper lane usage when an officer observed that the vehicle Wiley was driving was stopped facing southbound in the right turn only lane of Lakewood Boulevard without a turn signal activated. When the light turned green, the vehicle proceeded straight through the intersection from the right turn only lane, according to police.

A resident in the 300 block of Miami Street told police on September 15 that, while home alone, sleeping in his bedroom, he suddenly heard a thump on the front door of the residence. He related that he went to the front door to investigate and discovered that the door was slightly ajar with several dents as if someone attempted to force the door open by kicking it. He looked outside his residence and observed a subject described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants running northbound on Miami Street away from the residence. Police are investigating.

William E. Gayden, 55, 1051 Abbott Lane, University Park, was arrested on September 15 and charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while license was suspended, operating a vehicle with only one red taillight, and illegal transportation/possession of alcoholic liquor when an officer on patrol in the area of Sauk Trail and Westwood Drive observed that the vehicle Gayden was driving northbound on Westwood Drive had only one working red taillight, according to police.

A window of a residence in the 2600 block of South Western Avenue was reported shattered on September 15.

The steering column of a vehicle parked in the first block of Birch Street was reported damaged on September 16. According to police, it appeared that someone had gained entry to the vehicle by prying open the driver’s door. The steering column was broken into two pieces and looked like it had been pried apart, according to police.

An officer was dispatched to the Park Forest Police Department on September 16 to investigate a report of identity theft. According to police, the resident was asked by her employer why she had filed for unemployment benefits while she was currently employed. The resident never filed the claim, according to police.

A Dell laptop computer was reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle parked in the 100 block of Warwick Street on September 16.

A wallet was reported stolen from a purse by the driver of a school bus who had picked up students from Rich East High School on September 16.

Bradley R. Shanafelt, 21, 22839 Richton Sqare Rd., Richton Park, was arrested on September 17 and issued municipal citations charging aggravated assault and public intoxication when police were dispatched to a business in the first block of South Orchard Drive to investigate a report of a disturbance.

A resident told police on September 17 that, upon checking his credit report, he discovered there was an outstanding debt of $384 that was in collections. He discovered that the debt was from an unpaid Comcast Bill that had been set up in his name without his permission at a residence in Chicago.

A catalytic converter was reported stolen from a vehicle parked in the 23400 block of South Western Avenue on September 18.

A catalytic converter was reported stolen from a vehicle parked in the 3000 block of Western Avenue on September 18.


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