A man called the Forest Park Walmart’s auto service department, demanding supplies to treat a gunshot wound, and when the employee who answered the phone refused to help, he threatened to shoot into the store.
The man called the store at 2:40 p.m. on Oct. 15, requesting bandages and oxygenated water to treat his gunshot wound. When the employee said he wouldn’t do that, the caller said he was part of the “Mexican mafia” and threatened to shoot up the store.
Due to the volume of calls, police were unable to pinpoint the exact number, but narrowed it down to the most likely number. Police were unable to trace the caller at the time of the call.
armed robbery
Two unrelated armed robberies occurred in Forest Park last week.
The first robbery occurred around 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 18. The victim had parked his work truck near the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Wilcox Street and was standing outside the truck talking on the phone when three men approached the truck. Then one of the men asked for his “stuff.” Fearing that he would be beaten if he refused, the victim opened the truck. The men removed scanning equipment from his work utility and fled north, then east toward Des Plaines Street.
The victim returned to work to get a replacement device and was told to call police because of a spate of device thefts in Chicago.
The second robbery occurred on Oct. 21 at approximately 10:10 p.m. According to the victim and security camera footage, the victim had stopped at a Thorntons gas station to refuel when the men ran into the driver’s side. He approached the window and put the gun to the victim’s head. and demanded money. The robber took his $450 from the victim and $400 from the passenger. The robber also asked them if they had a gold necklace. When they answered no, the robber fled.
Security footage showed the robber running westbound on Jackson Boulevard.
car robbery
There have been three car burglaries in Forest Park in the past week.
On Oct. 17 at approximately 3:55 p.m., the victim drove a black 2018 Honda sedan to the Forest Park Planet Fitness store. She left her handbag under the jacket in her driver’s seat. The window was partially rolled down while the victim locked the door. When she returned around 5 p.m., she noticed that her wallet and jacket were gone.
Witnesses said they saw a black Cadillac SUV pull into the Planet Fitness parking lot, a man get out, reach through the window, open the door and grab a jacket and wallet. Witnesses said they did not know the license plate number, and Planet Fitness employees told officers they were not authorized to access the security camera footage.
At 11 a.m. on Oct. 21, the owner of a 2015 Jeep Compass parked on Marengo Street said someone ransacked her car overnight and stole the MacBook laptop she kept there. I realized that. The victim said he believed he had locked his car and there was no sign of forced entry.
At approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 22, the owner of a red 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan parked his vehicle in the 140 block of Circle Avenue. He said he believed he had locked his car. The next morning, the victim’s wife saw the passenger side door open and the contents of the glove box scattered inside, but nothing was stolen from her.
There was no physical damage to the car, but the victim was unable to start the car.
The items were obtained from police reports filed by the Forest Park Police Department between Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 and represent a portion of the incidents police responded to. Unless otherwise specified, individuals named in these reports have only been charged with a crime. These cases have not yet been decided.
Compiled by Igor Studenkov
