Oak Park Crime Briefs: Woman Robbed on Blue Line, House Burglarized, Hit-and-Run Driver Charged

Hit-and-Run Arrest
A 29-year-old Oak Park man was charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash that sent a young boy to the hospital, police said.

Marcus Backstrom was behind the wheel of a 2001 Buick LeSabre around 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of South Taylor Avenue when he struck an 8-year-old boy crossing the street, authorities said.

Witnesses told police the impact sent the boy into the air, then back onto the pavement. He was taken to Loyola Medical Center with cuts and bruises, police said.

Backstrom told police he didn't feel any impact and kept driving, eventually reaching his home in the 1100 block of South Austin Boulevard, where he was arrested. He was charged with felony hit and run, leaving the scene of an accident, driving on a suspended license, failure to exercise due car for a pedestrian and disobeying a stop sign.

Robbery
A gold chain was stolen from the neck of a woman riding an eastbound El train on the CTA Blue Line April 23. The victim told police the offender, a male, took the necklace after she wouldn't give him a cigarette.

The man also tried to grab a purse from the woman's lap, but she kicked him and thwarted the attempt. The man exited the train at the Oak Park Avenue stop.

The estimated loss was $100. No injuries were reported.

Burglary
A home in the 1300 block of Austin Boulevard was ransacked recently, leading to the destruction of bathroom sinks and the disappearance of faucets and copper piping, police said.

Entry was gained by forcing open a basement window on the east side of the building. The incident took place between April 15 and April 19, when it was reported to police. Estimated loss was $8,000.