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The 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District Advisory Committee at its meeting in June discussed a recent increase in burglaries and several arrests in gun-related incidents.

The number of reported burglaries this year in the district is 268 compared to 245 for the same period last year, representing a 9 percent increase. During a 28-day period ending June 11, there were 32 burglaries compared to 20 during the same time frame in 2017, and in one recent week there were 12 burglaries compared to one during the same period last year.

In addition, the number of reported thefts this year is 333 compared to 288 during the same period in 2017, representing a 16-percent increase. However, in the past month there was a 20-percent decline in thefts, 47 this year compared to 59 in 2017.

Also, robberies, burglaries and vehicle thefts have increased 7 percent in the district, up from 881 incidents in 2017 to 942 this year. However, compared to 2016, overall serious crime is down 2 percent in 2018.

District captain Hootan Bahmandeji said that a burglary mission team has been looking into problems of tire and catalytic converter thefts from parked cars, especially between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. He said that there have been no recent arrests in connection with these incidents but that officers are following up on leads that have developed during their investigations.

Also at the June 21 meeting, it was reported that a man was arrested on May 26 after he allegedly walked up to a vehicle at about 5:20 a.m. and shot another man in the chest, arm, leg and abdomen during an incident near Grace Street and Austin Avenue. The men had arranged to meet, and the incident appears to be related to a woman whom the men reportedly know, police said.

After being shot, the man drove in an effort to pursue the suspect, but he pulled over a short time later in the 6100 block of West Grace Street and shouted for help, police said. He was later transported in critical condition to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.









The suspect was arrested in River Grove and charged with violation of a bail bond, police said. Police were able to locate the suspect because he was wearing a monitoring device in connection with an earlier domestic battery incident, police said.

Three weeks later the suspect was arrested in Harwood Heights and charged with attempted murder in connection with the May 26 incident, police said. The suspect was identified by police as Miguel A. Colon, age 43, of the 1500 block of West Augusta Boulevard.

Also at the meeting, it was reported that officers recovered three guns, a 30-round magazine, seven clear plastic bags containing a substance suspected of being cocaine and $1,460 in cash after two people were arrested at about 1:45 p.m. Thursday, May 31, in an alley in the 3200 block of North Cicero Avenue.

One of the suspects was sitting in vehicle, while the other proceeded to walk away after officers sounded their car horn, police said. The suspects were identified by police as Brian Perez, age 21, of the 5600 block of North Keystone Avenue, and as a 16-year-old male.

In other news, the committee honored police officers Evan Solano, Daniel Mersch, Robert Roth and Agnieszka Broniec as "Officers of the Month" for their April 18 arrest of a man who was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number during an incident at about 1:40 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, in the 6700 block of West School Street. The suspect reportedly had crashed his vehicle into a fence.

Meanwhile, the district has been working with Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th), city Department of Buildings and residents to address concerns about a home in the 4100 block of North Plainfield Avenue.

Sposato said in an interview that a group of people apparently had been using the house for drug use and that a lot of needles were found inside. He said that the house was recently boarded up and that the property is undergoing foreclosure.

The district is issuing a reminder to parents about the city’s curfew laws. Under the city ordinance children younger than age 17 must be at home or with a parent or guardian age 18 years or older between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights and between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekend nights.