Thief Uses Knife To Threaten Witness Chasing Him

During an aggravated assault incident on Feb. 14 that started at about 4:30 p.m., a 23-year-old Chicago man was driving through the Golf Mill Shopping Center parking lot when he saw security agents from a retail store there chasing a shoplifter on foot.

As the offender ran east across Milwaukee Avenue, the witness followed him in his car, then parked it on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue in the 9500 block and began to chase the offender on foot, police said. He chased him east through an alleyway, according to police, then northbound toward Golf Road.

He caught up with the offender on the front sidewalk of the strip mall along the south side of 8300 Golf Road and the offender turned around, faced the witness and, motioning to a small knife in the front pocket of his jeans, said he would stab him unless he ceased the chase, according to the report.

The offender ran northbound through a parking lot and crossed Golf Road, where the witness said he threw away the knife. The witness continued following the offender westbound through the parking lot at 8500 Golf Road, then across Greenwood Avenue into the parking lot at 9600 Milwaukee Avenue. At that point, police dispatch advised him to stop the chase. The victim/witness said he would sign complaints if the offender is located. Police are investigating. An officer who walked though the chase route with the witness afterward did not locate a knife, according to the report.

Intoxicated man falls on pavement

Police responded to a call of a person on the ground on in the 8500 block of Golf Road on Feb. 16 at about 12:15 a.m. and found Ralph Gordon, 45, of Evanston, they said. According to the report, he was laying on the ground face down and had a cut on his left hand. Gordon attempted to stand up but fell down, they said, and the responding officer reported he smelled alcohol on Gordon's breath. North Maine Fire Department took Gordon to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. His court date is pending.