Police Blotter: Christmas DUI and Walmart Retail Thefts

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

Deodorant, Electronics Taken from Walmart

Evergreen Park Police said a Chicago resident was caught taking an assortment of merchandise from Walmart, 2500 W. 95th St. Police said Ashley Thurman, 21, of Chicago, took $17.20 worth of merchandise, including deodorant, a four-gigabyte SDHC card, and ear buds.

At about 7:55 p.m., store security saw Thurman take the items, hide them in her coat and exit the store, police said. According to reports, Thurman was stopped outside the store and escorted to the security office, where security recovered the items.

TUESDAY, DEC. 27

Felony Retail Theft from Walmart

Hosea Kyles, 53, of Chicago, was charged with felony retail theft. According to police, at about 3:10 p.m., store security saw Kyles hiding items under his clothing. Police said he took four bottles of Head and Shoulders shampoo and put them in the waistband of his pants. He then took eight packages of Duracell batteries and put them in his coat pockets, police said. The merchandise was valued at $107.64. Police said Kyles was charged with a felony because he had a previous conviction for retail theft, on Sept. 1, 2010.

SUNDAY, DEC. 25

Christmas DUI and Other Charges

Police said Elliott Mathews, 51, of Chicago, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and multiple other charges on Christmas night.

According to reports, there was a single-vehicle crash at 91st Street and Rockwell Avenue at about 9:42 p.m. When the officer arrived, the car was over the curb, crashed into a manhole cover and a hydrant, police said. Police noticed the smell of alcohol on Mathews, who said he was drinking beer, according to reports.

Police said there was also an open can of beer in a cup holder on the driver’s side of the car. Police ultimately charged Mathews with driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal transportation of alcohol, driving with no insurance, failure to stop at an intersection, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and driving with no driver’s license. He also was issued two municipal citations—one for the DUI and another for damage to village property, reports said. Police said Mathews had damaged the manhole cover and a fire hydrant during the car accident.

According to police, Mathews refused a field sobriety test and a breathalyzer test. Police said when asked if he was hurt, Mathews “refused transport to the hospital and said he did not need medical assistance.”

SATURDAY, DEC. 24

Late-Night Fight at Bleekers

A late-night disturbance at Bleekers caused police to remove a man from the bar, according to police. Police said at about 1:37 a.m., several officers were dispatched for a disturbance at Bleekers, 3447 W. 95th St. According to police, Donald Gessert, 50, of Evergreen Park, was pushing patrons, trying to start fights and refusing to leave. When the cops arrived, Gessert refused to show any identification, police said. Officers attempted to escort Gessert out and he pulled away shoved them and began to fight, police said. According to reports, Gessert “was highly intoxicated.”

Police charged Gessert with one count of criminal trespass to land and three counts of resisting a peace officer. Three officers tried to get Gessert to leave, police said.

FRIDAY, DEC. 23

Video Games Taken from Walmart

Evergreen Park Police said a man was seen taking video games from Walmart at about 7:15 p.m. Christopher McGee, 19, of Chicago, was arrested and charged with retail theft. Police said store security was doing surveillance and saw McGee select two X-Box 360 video games from a display, open them and put them in his jacket pocket. The games were valued at $39.92.

Retail Theft at Carson Pirie Scott

Police charged Denise Allison, 18, of Chicago, with retail theft. According to reports, at about 2:41 p.m., store security saw Allison, who was working as a Carson Pirie Scott cashier, ring up a purchase for eight items but and then go back and delete six of them. She completed the transaction by charging the customer for only two items, but she put all eight in the bag, police said. According to police reports, Allison admitted to under-ringing the merchandise for a friend. Police said she rang up men’s clothing items valued at $357.40.

Police report information is provided by the  and other law enforcement agencies. Charges are not evidence of guilt. They are a record of police actions on a given day, and persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. If you or a family member are charged or cited and the case is subsequently adjudicated, we encourage you to notify the editor. We will verify and report the outcome.