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A 76-year-old woman reported that she was asleep when her 50-year-old son tried to light a cigarette on the stove and woke her up after the kitchen had caught on fire, according to police. The woman reported that she ran outside and asked for help from a neighbor and an off-duty police officer on the street and that they unsuccessfully tried to re-enter the home after finding the front door had been locked, and that they called 9-1-1 after, according to police.

Fire department personnel were eventually able to extinguish the fire, and one firefighter was treated at Swedish Covenant Hospital after a fall related to an asthma attack, police said. The man was not able to escape the blaze and was pronounced dead on scene by the medical examiner at 11:44 p.m., according to police.

The man was identified by police as Roger Brady, age 50, of the 4500 block of North Laporte Avenue.

Shots were fired at about 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, in the 3200 block of North Linder Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

A 30-year-old woman reported that she was sitting in front of her residence with family members when she saw a dark colored sport utility vehicle on the corner and heard gunshots before the vehicle fled away, according to police. Police said that they recovered eight spent shell casings on the street.

A man was cut numerous times while waiting for a concert near the Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., at about 11 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 24-year-old man reported that he was waiting in line for a concert when a man bumped him and they fought, and the man pulled out a box cutter and slashed him more than 20 times in the chest, abdomen, back and arms, according to police. The man was treated at Community First Medical Center, police said.

Employees of Garvy School, 5225 N. Oak Park Ave., reported a man attempted to lure three female students into their car outside of the school at about 2:10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, according 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The women reported that a gym teacher, a 44-year-old man, saw a man in a blue-and-tan Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle from 2006 to 2010 call out to three 11-year-old students near the school’s basketball courts, and that the three students ran back toward the school, according to police.

The man was described as white, age 20 to 30, with parted brown hair and a tattoo on the right side of his neck, and wearing a black sweater.

A man reported that he was robbed at about 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, in the 5900 block of West Irving Park Road, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 24-year-old man reported that he was trying to sell his iPhone and met with two male teenagers who paid him with two fake $100 bills printed with "for motion picture use only," and that upon telling them it was fake money the older teen threatened to shoot him if he followed them, according to police.

A man shot himself at about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, in his home in the 3200 block of North Nagle Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 36-year-old man reported that he accidentally shot his upper abdomen while changing the grip on his 40-cal handgun and then called 9-1-1, and he was treated at Illinois Masonic Hospital in serious condition, according to police.

The Blaze-N-Grill restaurant, 6400 N. Milwaukee Ave., was burglarized at about 12:15 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

Officers responded to a burglary alarm and discovered that the side door had a broken window and was opened, and the owner provided surveillance showing a man entering through the side door and taking two cash registers containing a total of $900 in cash before leaving.

The man was described as white, age 45 to 55, about 5-6 to 5-7 and 180 to 200 pounds, and wearing a black hooded jacket with white stripes.

A man and woman reported that their home in the 5500 block of North Oketo Avenue was burglarized between 12:30 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 58-year-old man and 63-year-old woman reported that when they returned home they discovered that the front door open had been opened and that an envelope containing $1,000 in cash and 20 bracelets, 20 earrings and six gold necklaces valued at about $12,000 total were missing, according to police.

A car was set on fire between 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, and 12:40 a.m. the following day, in the 5600 block of West Berenice Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

A woman reported that she saw a 2000 Mercury on fire and called 9-1-1 and firefighters extinguished the vehicle, according to police. Fire department officials are unable to determine the cause of the fire at the time of report, police said.

A woman reported that she saw a man attempting to break into her home at about 2:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, in the 4200 block of North Major Avenue, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 59-year-old woman reported that she saw a man attempting to open her rear glass door after successfully breaking through the screen door, and that the man fled after her husband yelled at him, according to police.

The man was described as black, age 30 to 40, approximately 300 pounds, with short hair and wearing a dark-colored jacket.

A man reported that his home in the 5300 block of West Cullom Avenue was burglarized between 6 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 53-year-old man reported that when he returned home he discovered that his side door had been broken and that a laptop computer, a computer central processing unit and a 25-inch flat screen television set were missing, according to police.

A man and woman reported that their home in the 5500 block of North Oketo Avenue was burglarized between 12:30 p.m. and 6:20 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 58-year-old man and 63-year-old woman reported that when they returned home they discovered that the front door open had been opened and that an envelope containing $1,000 in cash and 20 bracelets, 20 earrings and six gold necklaces valued at about $12,000 total were missing, according to police.

A woman reported that her belongings were stolen from her room in the Renaissance O’Hare Suites hotel, 8500 W. Bryn Mawr, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

The 57-year-old woman reported that when she returned to the room she discovered that three necklaces valued at $4,800, diamond earrings valued at $1,500, a ring valued at $950, a purse, two gift certificates, two credit cards and her driver’s license were missing, according to police.

Several car thefts were reported between 2 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4, and Monday, Dec. 11, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

Thefts were reported in the 7300 block of North Ottawa Avenue, the 8100 block of West Rascher Avenue, the 5700 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue, the 3200 block of North Austin Avenue, the 4900 block of West Belmont Avenue, the 5700 block of North Major Avenue and the 5600 block of West Grace Street, according to police

Thefts were also reported in the 5400 block of North Delphia Avenue, the 5600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, the parking lot of Chicago Academy High School, 3400 N. Austin Avenue and two in the 4700 block of North Central Avenue, according to police.

Several thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles were reported between 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, and 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, according to 16th (Jefferson Park) District police.

Thefts were reported in the 5300 and 5200 blocks of West Dakin Street, the 4900 block of West Grace Street, the 4400 block of North Meade Avenue, the 5800 block of West Peterson Avenue, the 6000 block of North Menard Avenue, the 5700 block of North Mango Avenue and in the 6700 block of North Central Avenue, according to police.















