Oak Park Crime Briefs: Blue Line Robbery, Green Line Arrest

Armed Robbery

A 24-year-old man suffered cuts to his face during an armed robbery that took place in the early morning hours of Aug. 13 at the CTA Blue Line stop at Austin Boulevard. Police said two men got on to the eastbound train at Cicero Avenue and sat down next to the victim. At the Austin stop, one of the two pressed a revolver into the victim’s side and demanded he turn over everything. He refused and was struck in the face; a bag containing a Mexican ID, a BlackBerry, a wallet and $78 were taken. The victim did not require hospitalization; estimated loss was $378.

Retail Theft

Alex McFarland-Hawkins, 57, of Chicago was charged Aug. 16 with retail theft after taking two gold rings from the display case of Gem, 108 Marion St., police said.  A shop employee called police and gave officers his description. Officers checked Green Line stations, where an officer spotted a man matching Hawkins’ description seated in an eastbound train car. The policeman entered the train then arrested Hawkins at the Ridgeland Avenue stop, police said. The property, valued at $340, was recovered.  

Theft

An iPod was taken Aug. 15 when a young man came up to the 16-year-old Oak Park resident and asked to use it. When the victim refused, the offender grabbed it out of his hand and ran east in the north alley of Ohio Street from Austin Boulevard. The incident took place in the 500 block of North Austin Boulevard.