A man suspected of being at the center of an alleged murder-for-hire scheme that took the life of a Brookfield resident in January is back on the streets after posting bond last week.
Comfort K. Robinson is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the plot to kill 33-year-old Michael Smith, who was slated to testify against Robinson in another criminal case on the day he was gunned down in front of his Forest Avenue home.
Robinson and two others were charged with the killing on Nov. 21. Robinson’s bond was set at $250,000, and he posted the required 10 percent last week and was released. The other two suspects remain at Cook County Jail.
At a court hearing Nov. 29, a judge did not change the terms of Robinson’s bond, choosing to continue the matter until Dec. 9.
Meth bust in Brookfield
Brookfield police assisted Chicago Ridge police in serving a search warrant at a residence in the 9400 block of Ogden Avenue on Nov. 22 at about 7:45 p.m., reportedly seizing 99 grams of methamphetamine.
According to Brookfield police, John E. Birch, 63, was taken into custody at the scene, along with evidence. LaGrange Patch reported that Birch was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class X felony, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Birch, who reportedly has no criminal background, appeared Nov. 23 at the Bridgeview courthouse for a bond hearing at which he denied the allegation.
Vehicle break-ins
A resident of the 8900 block of Southview Avenue, Brookfield, called police to report that during the overnight hours of Nov. 21-22, someone rifled through his vehicle. Nothing was reported missing from the vehicle, which apparently was unlocked.
A resident of the 9100 block of Sherman Avenue, Brookfield, reported that during the overnight hours of Nov. 21-22 someone entered his apparently unlocked vehicle, which was parked at the rear of the property and stole about $10 in loose change.
A resident of the 400 block of Desplaines Avenue, Riverside, reported that during the overnight hours of Nov. 20-21, someone entered her apparently unlocked vehicle, which was parked in the driveway, and removed her purse containing a gold iPhone 6, $20 in cash, a phone charger and IDs.
Residential burglary
Riverside police responded to the 700 block of Arlington Road on Nov. 26 after a man sent to check on the house for the ailing owner called to report it had been burglarized.
The man told police that he arrived at the home and observed the front window was removed and that the interior appeared to have been ransacked.
Police reported observing small pry marks on the front window frame and reported recovering for evidence a brown jewelry box and a small white box that might have been touched by the offender.
Garage burglary
Brookfield police responded to the 3600 block of Park Avenue on the morning of Nov. 22 after a resident called to report that someone had stolen a blue and black 16-speed Trek Cross Rip Elite bike, a bag containing bike tools and two Garmin GPS units along with a black 21-speed Trek bicycle from his garage. The loss was estimated at $2,000.
A resident of the 3600 block of Blanchan Avenue, Brookfield, called police to report that between 10 and 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 24 someone entered his garage and removed a black Marin mountain bike valued at $1,000.
Brookfield police responded to the 4000 block of Raymond Avenue after a resident called to report that during the overnight hours someone had forced open the side service door of his garage and removed an air compressor and a wooden tool case containing numerous tools.
Habitual DUI offender arrested
Frank Y. Oppong Jr, 34, of Chicago faces felony drunken driving charges after Riverside police stopped him for reportedly driving the wrong way on Pine Avenue from Longcommon Road on Nov. 25 at about 1 a.m.
Oppong, appeared to be intoxicated, according to police, and told them he was driving home from a Thanksgiving party and thought he was driving through Maywood. Police reported that Oppong has two prior DUI convictions and that his driver’s license was revoked. They reported recovering a half empty bottle of cognac from the area between the driver and passenger seats.
Riverside reportedly has filed paperwork to seize Oppong’s vehicle, a 2008 Nissan.
These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, Nov. 21-27, 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
