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Police Bust Fencing Ring at Village Convenience Store

A Tinley Park man was arrested by police Wednesday on four felony theft counts after a monthslong undercover investigation by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

 

A monthslong undercover investigation by Tinley Park Police and other law agencies broke up a fencing operation at a village convenience store Wednesday, arresting a store manager on theft charges, according to a police release.

Kamal M. Mashni, 55, of the 7700 block of West 162nd Place, was charged with four counts of felony theft and two counts of misdemeanor theft for allegedly buying stolen cigarettes, alcohol, baby formula, over-the-counter drugs and designer purses, the release stated. Mashni's bond is still pending, the release added.

READ: Tinley Closes 'Always Open' Store for Booze Sales

Mashni worked as a store manager at Tinley Family Food and Liquor, 6800 W. 183rd St. The store, which has also gone under the names Always Open and Tinley 24/Seven, was cited for multiple health code violations by the Tinley Park Health and Consumer Protection Office, the release stated.

"A fencing operation is a public safety and health issue," said Tinley Park Police Chief Steve Neubauer in the release. "Products of dubious origin are a danger to the community and unfair to legitimate businesses."

The police, which began its investigation in November of last year, also worked with the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department of Revenue, the Cook County State's Attorney Office, the Cook County Regional Organized Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

READ: No One Hurt, 7 Arrested in Overnight Drive-By Shooting at Always Open

The convenience store has a troubled history, and Mayor Ed Zabrocki has been very critical of its practices. In 2011, the store was temporarily closed after violating a suspended liquor license order by the village, an order it received after being cited for selling to a minor. The store was cited again for selling alcohol to underage customers in June of 2012.

The store also was the site of a drive-by shooting late last year. No one was injured, and the business was not connected in the shooting.

Police report information is provided by the Tinley Park Police Department 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.

 

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Related Topics: Always Open, Crime, Fencing Operation, Kamal Mashni, Tinley Family Food and Liquor, Tinley Park Police Department, and Undercover investigation

Tinley resident

1:13 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

These people who come into this country, get all the breaks that regular business owners don't get, then do something illegal, not once, but several times, and nothing happens. They just open another business in a different name. Way to go Obama!! For continuing to let this happen. I bet if I went to these other countries, I wouldn't even be able to open a business, nor get tax or other breaks, do something illegal more than once and still be alive!!!

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JustMe

2:18 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

It has been going on long before Obama took office.

SafetyFirst

3:25 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

Has nothing to do with them coming from other countries. People who were born and raised here do same and even worse. How can u just assume and put people down. Also, there are a lot that come from other countries and are way better people then us.

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Madrdd

3:36 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

Glad to see Tinley Police finally got him. Hopefully, they will lock him up for quite awhile. Now, if they can only find a reason to check out the residence, and a 4 yrs or more permit taped on there front window, with work on a driveway and garage never completed. Whose job is it to follow up on this? Its a disgrace to the block. I thought there was a time limit on the permit? I guess not. And then they wonder why they are not accepted!

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Jim

2:42 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

How would you know anything about there house? Are you stalking them and spying on them? Sounds like you have some issues you should get checked up on.

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mary jo

9:48 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

you have to be a sick bastard to make that kind of comment

jene cleveland

6:07 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

It is unfortunate that if you are a minority, you should not think of owning a business in Tinley Park. Since this gentleman has taken over Always Open,he has been plagued, targeted with problems and harassed by the Police. Minorities do not care about being accepted by racist individuals. If you want to open up a business or advance in your career, get a degree, take out a small business loan but do not begrudge others because they had the fortitude to succeed inspite of living in a racist country, thus the Tinley Park community. I hope that the owner is released from jail and has a good attorney to fight these erroneous and false allegations. Do not get upset with Obama, he is running the county and I am lovin it!!

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TP Karen

8:22 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Jene, have you ever been in that store? THAT is the disgrace. Why turn everything into a race issue? There are other convenience stores which are run by minorities in Tinley Park that conduct an upstanding business without these issues.

TP Resident

9:35 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

Jene, really?! For a month the cops were watching his business! He is guilty of fencing. But typical response of many Obama supporters to accuse others of wrong doing. Its always someone elses fault. Hence the reason our country is going to hell..

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mary jo

9:52 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

people like you have no life and they are full of hate and discrimation.and join your tinley park with your hate

Fatty Arbuckle's Champagne Bottle

9:59 pm on Saturday, February 23, 2013

c'mon...that place is disgusting. like a flea market. this is tinley park not sauk village. i went there to buy a battery and when i left i couldnt wait to get home to take a shower. gross! like being dipped in a port a john after being gang raped. close that disease ridden bath house down!

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mary jo

9:57 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

i would like to know what makes you better of the people of sauk village, and go there try to get a job and come here and talk about the people there. your nothing but a racist..

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Fatty Arbuckle's Champagne Bottle

10:11 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

@mary jo...i dont like a retail version of hoarders in tinley park. that may be the norm in sauk village (and many neighboring areas). it is not welcome in tinley park. good riddance.

Jene Cleveland

12:12 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013

I know that this is not Sauk Village it is Tinley Park NOT Beverly Hills, Wilmette, Grosse Pointe Hills, Shaker Heights, Bethesda, Scottsdale or Malibu. I am actually a Mitt Romney supporter but voted for Obama. Obama is running the country and I am lovin it!!!

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So There

9:41 am on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Jene, How do you know the Police were harrassing anyone?? Quit making statements with nothing to back it up. By the way, you may be loving Obama, a lot of us aren't. Getting Obamabucks by any chance?

meganomics

2:19 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013

he also bought food stamps he was a serious scum puppy. I don't care where he is from.

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mary jo

10:03 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013

you shouldn't be complaining about the food stamps..since your the one who was selling your kids food stamps, got to be and must be a scum puppy..you should be working hard

Jim

2:27 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

And who are any of you guys to bring up race like it has anything to so with anything. In present day you have a bunch of whites and blacks running around robbing banks and escaping from jail? So I should start blaming "scummy whites and blacks" every time a bank gets robbed.

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put a bird on it

11:35 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013

Very insightful Mary Jo. Are we a Rhodes Scholar perhaps?

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Poetic Justice

1:26 pm on Saturday, March 9, 2013

I love the signs that are hanging in the store, lol.

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ajg

3:06 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013

They were selling the fake pot that kills kids and they ALWAYS sold to underage kids. I know many of kids that tell me that is where they get their booze. Thank you Tinley for shutting them down you might have saved the life of one of our children.

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ruzas87

12:10 am on Monday, April 1, 2013

Don't break the law don't go to jail... seems simple enough. I don't see what race has to do eith anything. I resisted arrest once and 4 white cops beat my white ass lol sure they took it a little far but I put myself in that situation, so it was my fault and I went to jail for it. He is getting what he deserves just like I got what I deserved

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