3 Charged In Boystown Burglary, But Break-Ins Continue

From top: Crayton, Lawson, Kee

Three South Side men face various charges in connection with the March 7 burglary of a Boystown home and the subsequent sale or possession of items taken during the break-in.

The 71-year-old victim told police that the back door to her home in the 500 block of W. Hawthorne Place was removed while she was at work and property—including her 2013 Lexus—was taken.

22-year-old Emmitt Crayton of the Chatham neighborhood is charged with burglary. He is a documented member of the Gangster Disciples street gang, according to police.

20-year-old Marko Lawson of the Morgan Park neighborhood is charged with theft after he allegedly admitted to selling the victim’s flat screen TV to a Calumet City pawn shop for $60, according to court records.

18-year-old Stephen Kee of the Ashburn neighborhood is charged with theft and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. He allegedly possessed the victim’s Lexus, took property from within the vehicle, and helped Lawson carry the victim’s TV into the pawn shop, court records say.

More of the Same

The arrest of those three men has had no effect on this year’s soaring burglary rates in Lincoln Park, (+70%), Lincoln Square (+30%), North Center (+25%), and Lakeview (+113%).

A burglar took about $900 late Tuesday from Nuts on Clark, 3830 N. Clark Street. A woman called 911 at 8AM on Wednesday to report that a Nuts on Clark cash register was lying in an alley near Clark and Byron. She also told police that she saw a guy breaking the cash register open around 10:30PM the night before, but she didn’t call right away.

Saturday morning, an AT&T store in the 1700 block of W. Fullerton reported that someone broke through a wall overnight and stole merchandise. Police confirmed receiving a burglar alarm call around 11:30PM Friday, but the officers saw no sign of trouble, so they cited the store for a false alarm.

An employee at the Twisted Baker, 2475 N. Lincoln, called police around 6PM on Thursday after three men allegedly entered the shop and stole money from her purse. One offender entered through the back and two came through the front, she said. The men were last seen fleeing the area in a navy blue Dodge Town & Country with an extended top and dealer plates. Offender descriptions:

1) male, black, 5’9” tall, 170 pounds, long dreads, black puffy jacket
2) male, black, 5’10” tall, 150 pounds, short dreads, black hoodie, bleached jeans
3) male, black, 5’11” tall, 170 pounds, shaved head, black hoodie, bleached jeans

Tuesday, March 29
• Workers reporting for work find their office in the 1400 block of W. Belmont has been burglarized overnight. Forcible entry.

• A woman in the 800 block of W. Roscoe reports an attempted break-in to her apartment overnight.

• Burglaries to residences in the 800 block of W. Cornelia and the 3100 block of N. Western.

Wednesday, March 30
• Glass smashed and apparent burglary of a computer store in the 1100 block of W. Belmont

• Burglary to homes in the 3800 block of N. Ravenswood and the 2500 block of N. Ashland.

Thursday, March 31

• Employees of the Town Hall Apartments, a residence for LGBT seniors at 3600 N. Halsted, report that someone broke into their basement and stole a key-making machine.

• Window broken during apparent burglary attempt to apartment building in the 600 block of W. Addison.

• Attempted burglary of a construction site in the 400 block of W. Melrose

• Burglars smash the front glass and burglarize a nail salon in the 4600 block of N. Western.

• Burglary. Unlawful entry. 3900 block of N. Janssen.

• Burglary to apartment. 900 block of W. Fletcher.

Other recent break-ins confirmed by Chicago police this week include: