Police Arrest Group of Teens for Robbery, Mob Action
Oak Park police charged a group of Chicago teens with robbery and mob action following an attempt to steal another teen's shoes with a BB gun.
Oak Park police arrested and later charged five teens from Chicago with aggravated robbery and mob action on Jan. 3 following an incident after they allegedly attempted to rob a 13-year-old Chicago resident of his shoes.
Police made the arrest on the platform of the Green Line station on Oak Park Avenue around 8:53 p.m.
Police said the group of teens—all juveniles between the ages of 12-13—were walking down Lake Street when they approached another teen from Chicago who was waiting in front of the Oak Park Public Library for a ride.
The group began harassing the boy, asking him what he was doing there and what he had in his pockets. Eventually, one of the teenagers in the group showed the victim a handgun and told him to take off his shoes, police said.
The victim pushed the offender away and the gun fell to ground as he tried to escape. As he was running, one of the teens struck him.
Police found the group running up the stairs of the Green Line platform and made the arrest. The gun recovered was found to be a BB gun.
All five teens were charged with aggravated robbery and mob action, with one additionally charged with battery for striking the victim. The group was processed at the station and issued a court date before being turned over to their parents.
Lori Lewis
8:05 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
The main Oak Park library has police incidents daily. They no longer have security at the entrance and when they did the officers would play around with the kids in trouble. Oak Park needs to be more diligent in making the community feel safe. Especially when going to the library, shopping, movies, etc.
Jim Bowman
10:11 am on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Point well made by Lori Lewis. Library guards seem nervous about their role. They chat a lot, having not enough to do and basically a boring job.
Matthew Hendrickson
12:42 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Thanks for your comments, readers. That's an interesting point.
zoe pelehrinis
3:00 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Need police to walk around and drive all main streets all the time. Having more security in the library will not make any difference.
Pelle Svanslös
3:49 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
How about a relatively Inexpensive solution to this old problem that has worked other places.......
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/04/classical-music-still-works-at-dispersing-loitering-teens-.html
Dierdre Kelleher
5:41 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Pelle, that is AWESOME!
Calvin
7:22 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2013
Hire off-duty police as security at the library. Allow them to wear their uniforms, and carry a radio.
dave
8:35 am on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Why don't they have security? Is it cost? If so, it's time to figure out that keeping three libraries running in a small town is a ridiculous waste of money when we can't keep one secure enough for people not to worry.
dave
8:36 am on Sunday, January 6, 2013
Why don't they have security? Is it cost? If so, it's time to figure out that keeping three libraries running in a small town is a ridiculous waste of money when we can't keep one secure enough for people not to worry.