Police Blotter: Woman Reportedly Pockets Cosmetics; Threatening Phone Call

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20

Woman Reportedly Pockets Cosmetics

Connie M. Skala, 31, of the 9600 block of South Keeler Avenue in Oak Lawn, was arrested around 2:30 p.m. at Super K-mart, 16300 Harlem Ave., and charged with retail theft. A loss prevention officer watched Skala stuff several small cosmetic items into her short pockets and then leave the store without paying, according to the report. The items totaled $51.26.

Tote Bag Stolen at White Water Canyon

A 43-year-old woman, who was cooling off at White Water Canyon Water Park, 8105 W. 171st St., called police around 8:15 p.m. to report that between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., someone stole her Joe Boxer tote bag. The red, white and blue bag was sitting on a chair in the pool area and was covered by a towel, the woman said in the report. She said the bag had in it her car and house keys, a brown leather wallet, a debit card, two credit cards, a cell phone, a Jewel check-cashing card, her driver's license, White Water Canyon pool passes and $33 in cash. The bag also had a friend's belongings in it, including a cell phone, $50 cash, pool passes and car keys, the report said.

TUESDAY, JULY 19

Open Can of Four Loco

Nicole J. Rachal, 26, of the 11000 block of Longwood Drive in Chicago, was arrested around 11 p.m. in a parking lot in the 6800 block of West 183rd Street. She was charged with driving with a revoked license, driving with an open container of alcohol and obstructing justice. Police approached Rachal in the lot to check on her well-being after they said she was acting frantic. They said they found an open can of Four Loco in her car. The obstructing justice charge stemmed from the fact that Rachal tried to give police a false name, the report said.

Threatening Phone Call

A 22-year-old Markham woman called police from Durbin's, 17265 S. Oak Park Ave., where she said she was around 11:55 p.m. when she received a strange, threatening phone call. "The caller stated, 'My buddy is all cracked out on coke. He has a 9 millimeter with two loaded clips. He's going to come and shoot up the bar,'" the report said. The caller then hung up the phone. Managers at Durbin's were contacted about the threat and police called the number that showed up on the woman's caller ID. It led them to a fax machine, police said.

MONDAY, JULY 18

Burglar Breaks Into Car Through Convertible Top

A 29-year-old man, whose vehicle was parked in the 8000 block of West Stonegate Drive, said someone broke into his 2007 Ford Mustang convertible between 10:15 p.m. July 17 and 12:50 a.m. July 18. He said the burglar got in through the vehicle's convertible top, which was pulled back far enough from the passenger-side door frame to unlock the door. A GPS system was missing but other valuable items were left undisturbed, the report said.

More Vehicles Burglarized

• A 49-year-old man, who was parked in the 8300 block of West Lilac Lane, reported that between 10 p.m. July 17 and 5:45 a.m. July 18, someone broke into his Honda Accord. Two of his savings account passbooks issued by Marquette Bank were missing, the report said. The man said his dog began barking around 3 a.m., but he didn't check to see if there was a problem outside.
• A 23-year-old man, whose vehicle was parked in the 8100 block of 174th Place in Tinley Park, said that between 1:15 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., someone stole his wallet and garage door opener from his 2002 Chevy S10. He said the truck had been locked. In the wallet were $10 cash, a credit card, a debit card and his driver's license, the report said.
• A 48-year-old woman called police around 9 a.m. after realizing that someone had taken her wallet from her unlocked Nissan. She had parked the SUV in the 6100 block of 167th Street between 8 p.m. July 17 and 7 a.m. July 18, she said. The wallet contained $47 cash, a South Suburban College identification card, a Link card and a credit card. The credit card was later used at a gas station in Oak Forest, police said.

Warrant Arrest

Ibrahim Z. Matari, 45, of the 1700 block of Thomas Drive in Bellevue, Neb., was arrested around 8:45 p.m. near the intersection of 163rd Street and Prairie Drive on a warrant out of Oak Lawn.

SUNDAY, JULY 17

Driving Under the Influence

• Dominic J. Brazzale, 25, of the 17000 block of West Circle Drive, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. near the intersection of 171st Street and 80th Avenue. He was charged with failure to use a turn signal when required, improper lane use, operating an uninsured motor vehicle and driving under the influence of alcohol. Police said Brazzale failed field sobriety tests.
• Kimberly A. Bracha, 50, of the 11700 block of Highwood Avenue in Palos Park, was arrested around 10:15 p.m. near the intersection of Oak Park Avenue and 167th Street and charged with driving under the influence, driving under the influence with a blood-alcohol content greater than 0.08 and driving on a suspended license. Police said four teenage girls flagged them down after seeing Bracha, who appeared drunk, get into her car. She reportedly failed field sobriety tests and blew a .225. Her bail was set at $3,000.