Crime & Safety

Granny Blamed for Weed Container: Weird Crimes

Driver makes a naughty offer to a cop • Social media post draws harsh reaction • Accused burglar found not fully with it when found by police ... This week's roundup of weird crime news in the Southland.

That Belongs to My Grandma, Officer


Oct. 24: A 19-year-old Oak Lawn man was charged with possession of cannabis after police found a Tupperware container with suspected marijuana remnants during a traffic stop, reports said.

Oak Lawn police observed a 2003 Ford Taurus parked outside a gas station occupied by three males who never left the vehicle around 10:57 p.m.

After waiting several minutes, the officer pulled behind the car in the parking lot. Police said the car quickly left the lot and headed southbound down Cicero.

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The officer pulled the car over as a “suspicious vehicle” at Cicero and Oak Center Drive.

The driver, identified as Richard Oliver, 19, said he was on his way to meet up with friends known to police as “documented drug dealers,” reports said.

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While speaking to Oliver, the officer said he could detect a faint odor of cannabis wafting from the Taurus.

The officer asked Oliver for permission to search his car, which Oliver denied, police said. Advised that the officer would be calling in a police K9 for a free air sniff, Oliver said the cop could search his car, reports said.

The four occupants stepped outside of the car. Upon searching the vehicle, police said the officer found a plastic Tupperware container with remnants of suspected shake.

The officer also found what appeared to be “raw cannabis” behind the driver’s seat, reports said.

Asked about the Tupperware, Oliver allegedly told police: “It’s my grandma’s. She keeps spices in it.”

Oliver was asked a second time about the container, who denied knowledge of his grandmother smoking pot, reports said.

According to the police, after the officer located several more small pieces of suspected cannabis under the driver’s seat, Oliver asked to see what the officer had found.

The officer watched Oliver brush all of the located pieces off the driver’s seat into the street, which could not be recovered, police said.

Oliver was issued a village citation of possession of cannabis under 30 grams. He has a hearing at village hall on Nov. 19.

Read more on Oak Lawn Patch

An Offer Easily Refused

Oct. 13: A 29-year-old Park Forest woman tried to make a naughty offer to a Chicago Heights officer during a recent traffic stop.

Tiana J. Williams, of the 300 block of Wilshire Street in Park Forest, was traveling northbound on Chicago Road from Joe Orr Road shortly after 2:30 a.m. when police noticed her car veer off the road and into the gravel along the shoulder.

Upon inspection, police noticed a strong smell of alcohol coming from Williams’ car, according to the report. Police also said Williams’ speech was slurred.

Williams could hardly stand when police began the field sobriety test, according to the report. When the officer asked her to stand on one leg, she replied, “This is hard as f*** sober! I’m not gonna make it to 30.”

Following Williams’ poor performance on the first test, police gave her a preliminary breath test, which yielded a .178 result. As the officer was explaining the results, Williams offered to give the officer a sexual favor, according to the report.

Williams was arrested and taken to the Chicago Heights Police station where police tried to give her a chemical breath test, but she vomited during each of three separate attempts. When the test was finally administered, she blew inconclusive results.

Williams was charged with improper lane usage, operating an uninsured vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Read more on Chicago Heights Patch


You Can’t Say That on Facebook

Oct. 31: Controversial thoughts about suicide victims posted by a 19-year-old Oak Forest woman to Facebook drew hundreds of responses and a slew of threats, police said.

The message, posted to the woman's personal Facebook profile, made references to having no feelings toward suicidal people and that they were all going to live in hell, according to Oak Forest police.

The woman called cops after more than 250 comments were posted in response, including threats of assault from strangers and one comment that offered "$100 for her head,"according to an Oak Forest police report.

The woman also provoked the situation by posting various comments of her own, including "I"m not scared of nobody" and "Haha, lets laugh your friends are in hell [sic],” the report states.

Cops suggested that the Oak Forest woman remove the post, block other users and change her privacy settings. Officers also advised her to stop writing back. The woman reportedly told police she would make the changes but left the post.

Readers contacted Oak Forest Patch recently over concerns about the sentiments expressed by the woman. The Facebook post has since been edited to read "Leave me alone."

No arrests were reported by police.

Read more on Oak Forest Patch


Altered State


Oct. 22: A Hometown man found lying in a semi-coherent state in the grass was charged with possession of stolen property after police found several electronic gadgets reported stolen from various cars, reports said.

Oak Lawn police went to the 9000 block of South Cicero Avenue on well being check around 7:04 a.m.

When police arrived, they found a man identified as James L. Morgan, 24, of Hometown, laying in the grass in 30-degree temperatures, reports said.

According to the police report, Morgan is a known drug abuser and the officer was concerned that he was possibly under the influence of drugs. Next to Morgan was a black computer bag. The officer asked Morgan’s permission to search it for medications or drugs.

Police said that Morgan gave the officer his permission to search the bag. The officer immediately observed multiple electronic gadgets, including a GPS and a large Canon digital SLR camera.

Morgan allegedly told police that he was an audio-visual technician and that the items belonged to him.

Police said the Morgan fit the description of a reported car burglary earlier in the month and was stopped for suspicious activity around 2:31 a.m. Oct. 9, carrying an empty bag and flashlight.

The officer turned on the GPS and found a home address in the 10900 block of South Tripp Ave., reports said.

The homeowner at the Tripp Avenue address told police that she had an identical GPS, police said. She checked her car and discovered that her doors were unlocked and the GPS missing, reports said.

Morgan was placed under arrest and was taken to the Oak Lawn police station. Police also discovered an active warrant in Mokena on charges of identity theft and unlawful use of a credit card.

While filling out the police report, another resident reported that his car had been burglarized that morning in the 11000 block of South Tripp Ave. The resident reported that his laptop case and Samsung digital camera had been removed from his car, reports said.

Police said the items matched others in Morgan’s possession during the well-being check. The neighbor identified his belongings, and was able to identify neighbors’ pictures on the other camera.

Read more on Oak Lawn Patch


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