The odder side of crime

Thieves, crooks and a rowdy opera patron stood out in 2011

12/28/2011 10:00 PM

By MATTHEW BLAKE
Contributing Reporter

No Comments - Add Your Comment

Each week Chicago Journal goes to the 1st District police station, at 18th and State Streets, and — looking through daily listings of crime incidents — reports on the most significant crimes that happen in the 1st District boundaries for our crime blotter. These boundaries are approximately north to the Chicago River, west to the Dan Ryan Expressway, south to McCormick Place and east to the lake.

Usually significance is determined the seriousness of the crime, but sometimes there are crimes that raise eyebrows for their strangeness — or the unorthodox behavior of the suspect in question. Herein, in reverse chronological order, are the Journal’s choices of the weirdest crimes of the year that made the blotter:

Anyone seen a giant ‘L.A. Tan’ banner?


Police reported that late in the evening of Feb. 22 someone took a large L.A. Tan banner from the front of the store’s building at 123 W. Madison St. The banner had an estimated value of $1,000.

South Loop’s Viagra bandit


A victim who regularly parks at the 412 S. Dearborn St. garage told police that someone kept stealing the Viagra prescription pills from his Lexus.

So as to provide evidence of the recurring crime, on the morning of March 2 the victim placed four Viagra pills in his car and then photographed the pills with a picture that indicates the date and time. He then left his car with the valet. On returning to the vehicle, the pills were stolen.

A fight at the opera


On March 12, police responded to a complaint about an unruly patron at the Civic Opera House at 20 N. Wacker Dr. According to the complainant, a 38-year-old man asked an usher where he could get opera glasses. An usher told the suspect he could get such glasses but, like all patrons, could not reenter until intermission.

The suspect then went down to the main lobby to get binoculars. He tried to re-enter the opera when an usher informed him, again, that he couldn’t until intermission. The suspect then allegedly shoved the usher twice and noted he paid $200 for tickets.

Police put the suspect under arrest, read him his Miranda rights and took him to the 1st District station for processing. Once at the station, the man allegedly grew increasingly obnoxious and hostile and was put in a “rubber room.”

Stealing the boss’ TV


A resident at the 400 block of East Waterside Drive told police that on returning home March 22 he fired James A. Casmano, who was working at the resident’s home.

The reason? The resident said Casmano stole his 55-inch television valued, at $4,000. Casmano also allegedly took $200 in electric equipment.

Hair! The $85,000 burglary


An Easter morning burglary at Beauty One beauty supply store, 616 W. Roosevelt Rd., resulted in the theft of 70 natural hair wigs with a total value of $85,000.

Police responded to a burglar alarm April 24 and on arriving, observed the rear door pried open, wigs stolen and several items knocked to the ground. Video security cameras revealed three males prying the rear door open and making their escape in a white van parked in the back of the building.

A smart use of Craigslist and a not-so-smart use of Craigslist


A victim was able to at least locate where her pricy cell phone was, thanks to the offender posting the phone as for sale on Craigslist. The victim told police that she was dining at the 8 E. Madison St. Chipotle Oct. 25 at around 8 p.m. and placed her phone on the table. At this point, the unknown offender — who the victim described as between 14 and 16 years old — asked her and her dining companions for money.

The request distracted her enough that the offender stole the phone. Later, the victim checked Craigslist and saw an identical phone listed for sale. The victim terminated her phone service and told Craigslist to investigate their listing of the suspect phone.


No Comments - Add Your Comment