Police Blotter: Nail Shop Owner Charged with Assault Says Customer Looked Threatening

THURSDAY, SEPT. 1

Cops Use Informant in Drug Bust

said they received information about a man who sells cocaine at north the lot of The Plaza, 9500 S. Western Ave. Police, using an undercover buyer, agreed to purchase $60 worth of cocaine. According to reports, police saw the informant make the transaction with Jonathan Tate, 20, of Chicago, at about 4:24 p.m., then police stopped the car in the parking lot. Police said they recovered one gram of cocaine and a steel grinder with greenish residue in it. Tate is charged with felony unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

TUESDAY, AUG. 30

Women Seen Taking Walmart Merchandise

Police said Carmisha Henry, 19, and Kierra Whitehead, 18, both of Chicago, were charged with retail theft.  According to police reports, the two women took several items from Walmart, 2500 W. 95th St., at about 5:38 p.m. Store security said they saw the two hide items in their pockets, according to police.

MONDAY, AUG. 29

Nail Shop Owner Charged with Assault

A nail shop customer claimed the store owner threatened her after she inquired about services.

Police said Binh P. Lee, 50, of Evergreen Park, was charged with assault. According to reports, at 12:35 p.m. a woman said she inquired about services at French Nails, in the 9800 block of South Kedzie Avenue, but after she got details from the store owner, she said she’d return later. Police said as she looked at nail polish near the front door, the store owner approached her and they got into an argument. The complainant said that on two separate occasions, the “store owner raised (his) fist and implied that he would mess her up,” police said. According to reports, the complainant later returned to store, with a friend. The store owner said he was intimidated, and the woman looked “like she was going to steal nail polish,” according to police.

Police Nab Two in Car Search

Police said at 5:36 p.m., officers on patrol saw a car traveling southbound on Western Avenue near 95th street cross the yellow lines several times, and the driver was not wearing a seatbelt. After stopping the car at 102nd Street and Western Avenue, police said, the driver of the car appeared to be hiding something under the seat. Police said the driver was unable to provide identification, but officers saw two small bags with white residue near the passenger. Police took the driver, Patrick Sullivan, 25, of Worth, into custody and charged him with failure to wear a seatbelt, driving with no insurance and no driver’s license, according to reports. Upon searching the car,  police said they found used needles, cooking plates from under passenger seat and bags with white residue. The passenger, Samantha Romanowicz , 25, of Palos Park, was charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

SATURDAY, AUG. 27

Stealing to Stay Fresh

At about 1:42 p.m., Walmart security saw a man put 10 items into his pants and stopped him after he left the store without paying for the items, police said. The man took two bottles of body wash and eight sticks of deodorant totaling $32.90. Michael Ross, 49, of Chicago was arrested and charged with felony retail theft, police said. Due to his criminal history and prior convictions, police said the charge was upgraded to a felony.

FRIDAY, AUG. 26

Street Gambling

Police were called to the 8700 block of South Utica Avenue Friday evening and saw men rolling dice and gambling. Two men fled the area, but after a short foot chase, one was apprehended, according to police reports. Police said officers recovered a pair of dice. Cedric Lengford, 18, of Evergreen Park was charged with gambling on the street. The second person was later apprehended, but was a juvenile and not charged, police said.

Bad Check Cashing

Police arrested a man who attempted to cash a check from a closed account. Marty Ruiz, 21, of Evergreen Park was charged with deceptive practice, police said. According to police reports, at 7:40 p.m., A manager at PLS Check Cashers, 2500 block of West 95th Street, told police Ruiz attempted to cash a check for $450 that belonged to a closed account. The owner of check was contacted and informed officers the check was never issued to Ruiz, police said. 

Baby Items Taken from Walmart

Walmart security on foot-patrol saw a woman select merchandise from several spots in the store and leave without paying, police said. Among the 14 items were a two-piece pajama set, four-pack of baby wash, two balloons, a candle, a banner, Q-tips, and four baby blankets. Police charged Lojuana Fizer, 22, of Chicago with retail theft.

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.