Brookfield police wrote a 15-year-old boy a local ordinance violation ticket after he reportedly shot a BB gun at a youth group playing kickball on the front lawn of Faith Lutheran Church, 3801 Madison Ave., on May 10 about 4:30 p.m.
A youth group advisor flagged down a passing squad car, telling the officer a group of three or four subjects wearing gas masks fired BBs at them using a BB rifle. One of the BBs deflated the kickball, while another put a hole in an announcement banner hanging outside the church.
None of the children in the youth group were struck by BBs, according to the report.
The adult advisor described what one of the offenders was wearing and said they were seen standing on the back porch of a home in the 3700 block of Madison Avenue.
In the bedroom of a 15-year-old boy who lived at the home, police reported recovering a black BB pistol. The boy was cited for discharge of projectiles and given a May 24 adjudication date.
Later that day, the boy’s mother had her son apologize to a church official for the damage, saying it would not happen again.
More gas pump tampering
For the second time in less than two weeks, someone tampered with the pumps at a Brookfield gas station, allowing four people to fuel their vehicles before a clerk grew suspicious and called police.
On May 10 about 10:20 p.m., a man came into the Citgo station at 3419 Maple Ave. and prepaid with a credit card. After he pumped his gas, three other vehicles followed at the same pump, with two of the drivers prepaying with credit cards before pumping what appeared to be more gas than they paid for.
The clerk called police after a fourth customer filled up at the pump and left without paying. Police discovered that the pump nozzle rest had been tampered with and that one of the gears inside the housing was out of alignment.
However, it was unclear whether the gasoline was stolen, since the clerk determined that the pump appeared to be operating correctly and the credit card used to initially prepay for the fuel was never de-authorized.
Vehicles burglarized
A resident of the 3500 block of Hollywood Avenue, Brookfield, reported that during the overnight hours of May 10 and 11, someone entered a 1998 Chevy S10 truck parked in the alley next to the garage and removed several power tools, hand tools, and a generator. The value of the items was estimated at $8,000.
A 51-year-old Highland Park man reported to North Riverside police on May 12 about 7:30 p.m. that while he was inside the North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, someone broke the lock on his 2005 Chevy work van and removed five power tools and more than 40 drill bits from inside the vehicle. The items were valued at $7,525, according to the police report.
Drive-thru DUI
North Riverside police charged Berwyn resident Phyllis J. Rodriguez, 28, with driving under the influence, endangering the life of a child and several other traffic offenses after she reportedly lost control of her car in the drive-thru lane at Wendy’s, 7200 W. 25th St., and crashed into the north wall of the building on May 10 at 11:19 p.m.
According to the police report, Rodriguez told police she had picked up her children after being at a bar with a friend. She was going to get food at Wendy’s and was in the drive-thru when she was distracted by her children, age 10 and 6, who were in the backseat arguing.
Her 1997 Buick LeSabre struck the drive-thru sign and then smashed into the north wall of the business. No one was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to the report. The children suffered facial injuries, while Rodriguez complained of a leg injury. All were treated at Loyola University Medical Center and released.
Rodriguez reportedly refused to submit to any sobriety tests, but the arresting officer stated that Rodriguez smelled strongly of alcohol.
In addition to DUI and endangerment, Rodriguez was cited for failing to wear a seatbelt, failing to secure her children in the vehicle, driving recklessly and having no proof of insurance.
Garage burglary
Someone broke into the garage of a home in the 3200 block of Oak Avenue, Brookfield, between 5 p.m. on May 7 and 2:30 p.m. on May 8, removing a toolbox of tools and a retractable extension cord, police reported.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, May 7-13, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.
– Compiled by Bob Uphues
