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| Kordowski is accused of burglarizing Venicci Pizza in Boystown last March. |
Prosecutors are asking a judge to let them introduce evidence of previous crimes committed by a man who’s accused of breaking into a Boystown pizza joint last winter.
51-year-old Phillip Kordowski has been sentenced to a combined 112 years in prison since 1983, mostly for burglary. Now, prosecutors want to introduce evidence from some of those earlier cases to help them win a stronger conviction in the Boystown case.
Police said Kordowski is suspected of burglarizing several other Lakeview businesses—including Alderman Tom Tunney’s Ann Sather Restaurant on Broadway early this year.
He is currently charged with breaking out a window and rummaging through two cash registers at Venicci Pizza, 3343 North Halsted, on March 4.
In a new filing, prosecutors asked the judge to let them admit evidence of Kordowski’s other convictions because “the crimes bear a striking similarity to each other despite occurring years apart.”
At Venicci, Kordowski was caught on video burglarizing a restaurant close to his home in the morning, gaining access by breaking a glass door and then rifling through the cash register, the filing says.
Among the cases that prosecutors want to introduce:
• The July 28, 2008, robbery of Fullerton Food and Liquor eight blocks from Kordowski’s home. He was sentenced to 12 years for that case.
• The burglary of Lemmings Tavern at 1850 N. Damen in 2007. Kordowski received 12 years in that case for allegedly breaking a window and climbing inside to steal cigarettes and booze.
• The burglary of Burning Leaf Cigar shop at 1648 North Damen in which Kordowski allegedly broke a side window and climbed inside to steal cash in 2007. Again, Kordowski received a 12-year sentence.
• The November 2002 burglary of Wilton Cleaners at 2030 N. Damen in which Kordowski broke a window and climbed inside to steal cash from the register. He received an eight year sentence.
• The November 2002 burglary of D&D Food and Liquor at 2006 West Division in which he broke through a window and stole $150 from the register. Again, Kordowski was sentenced to eight years.
• A July 2002 case in which Kordowski broke into a garage in the 2300 block of North Southport and stole $500 worth of meat from a freezer, receiving an eight-year sentence.
• A February 2001 burglary in which Kordowski broke into a home in the 3000 block of North Austin and stole a cell phone. He received a three-year sentence.
In addition to those cases, state records show that Kordowski has also received the following sentences:
• Another 8 years for burglary in 2002
• Still yet another 8 years for burglary in 2002
• 5 years for residential burglary in 1996
• Another 4 years for burglary in 1996
• 5 years for receiving/possessing a stolen vehicle in 1996
• Another 4 years for receiving/possessing a stolen vehicle in 1996
• 3 years for retail theft in 1994
• 2 years for theft in 1989
• Another 2 years for theft in 1989
• 4 years for burglary in 1983
• Another 4 years for burglary in 1983
