BERWYN
Small fire starts at home
The siding of a home in the 1500 block of South Grove Avenue caught fire at about 2:45 a.m. May 15 after someone threw a flaming bottle at the residence, police said.

The homeowner told police she awoke at about 2:30 a.m. because her dog was barking. At the time, she looked out her window and did not see anything unusual, police said. She also remembered a faint burning smell but thought a neighbor was burning leaves again.

The woman went back to bed for a few minutes before realizing the smell was getting stronger, police said. She checked the home and found the living room filled with smoke. Outside the front door, the resident found a bottle with a cloth stuck in the top had been filled with an accelerant and that had already burned out. The bottle had, however, started a small fire on home’s siding.
The resident extinguished the fire and called police.

Police arrest alleged burglar
Diamond O. Melton, 18, of the 2100 block of Harvey Avenue, Berwyn, was charged with felony residential burglary after he allegedly broke into a home in the 2500 block of Harvey Avenue at about 1 p.m. May 15, police said.

A resident of the home was asleep in the basement when he heard someone on the first floor. The resident attempted to enter the first floor but found the door had been locked, police said. He then exited the home through another door and saw an unknown man inside. He called police from his cell phone.

The burglar had fled the home when police arrived. An officer spotted him hiding behind a security fence at a neighboring home. The man, later identified as Melton, discarded a backpack and attempted to climb the fence when he saw the officer, police said. An officer chased Melton through several yards and alleys and shot a stun gun at Melton before arresting him in the 2500 block of South Harvey Avenue.

The stun gun missed Melton, and he was not injured in the chase. Police later found a laptop, a men’s watch, digital camera and a cell phone, all of which the victim identified as his or a family member’s.

Melton later told police that he had gone to the home with a 16-year-old Cicero boy  because the boy said he was supposed to meet a girl at the home. Once in the home, the boy handed him jewelry to put in his pocket, Melton said.

Man faces gun charges
A Cicero man faces four weapons-related charges after bringing a loaded handgun into a Berwyn tavern at about 2:30 a.m. May 16, police said.

A bar patron called police to the establishment, at the corner of 16th Street and Gunderson Avenue, after another patron warned her about a man with a gun and told her to leave. Once inside the bar, police found a man sitting near the front door who fit the description, later identified as Hector M. Gomez, 30, of Cicero, police said.

Gomez saw the officers and began walking away, police said. An officer told him to stop when Gomez turned into a crowded dancing area and reached for a silver handgun in his waistline, police said. One officer drew his weapon, but both officers moved to physically disarm Gomez rather than risk gunfire in a crowded bar, according to police.

Gomez was arrested, and police later learned he was wanted in Cicero for attempted murder. He was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in a bar, aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a gang member and possession of a gun without a Firearm Owner’s Identification card.

Man poses as cop
A man purporting to be a Berwyn police officer was allowed to take a truck for a test drive May 16 and never returned the vehicle, police said.

Employees of J & B Welding Supplies, 5305 W. Ogden Ave., told police the man came to the store several weeks ago to ask about a black 1992 Ford F-150 truck that was for sale. He told them he was an officer working in the narcotics unit and showed the employees a scar on his belly, claiming it was from a gunshot wound, police said. The man then asked if he could take the truck for a test drive and have his mechanic examine it. He presented a library card as identification and took the truck. He returned it a couple hours later.

At about 4:30 p.m. May 16, the man returned and asked to take the truck for another test drive. Believing he was an officer, the employees let him, but he never returned the vehicle, police said.
The employees described the man as white, about 5 feet 9 inches, 130 pounds, with a scar on his stomach, police said.

Tavern cited for noise
The owners of Wings Fire House, 6535 W. Cermak Road, were issued a local ordinance citation for prohibited noises after police were called to the bar for complaints twice in the same night, according to police reports.

Police were called to the bar for a noise complaint. The officers left after a manager told them he would turn down the music. At about 2:15 a.m. May 18 police returned for another complaint.
Police cited the bar for the noise violation.

Women face theft charges
Marilu Resendiz, 25, and Veronica Hernandez, 23, both of Chicago, were charged with retail theft after allegedly attempting to steal items from Marshalls, 7163 W. Cermak Road, at about 2:15 p.m. May 18, police said.

A store employee told police he watched Resendiz put $26.37 worth of items into a baby carrier, which was also holding her 5-day-old daughter. The employee also said Hernandez, who had her 5-year-old son with her, put $83.94 worth of merchandise into her purse. The employee stopped the women as they attempted to exit the store.

Police use stun gun in chase
Walter Espinoza, 18, of the 2700 block of South Kenilworth Avenue, Berwyn, was shot with a stun gun at about 3:15 p.m. May 18 after attempting to flee from an officer, police said.

The chase began near the corner of 14th Street and Wenonah Avenue when officers saw Espinoza and two other men riding bicycles. Two of the men, including Espinoza, were wearing clothing indicating they were gang members, police said. Those two men fled the area on foot when police attempted to question them, according to police. An officer followed Espinoza through several yards and alleys before Espinoza hid behind a pine tree, police said.

The officer asked Espinoza to show his hands. Espinoza threw a plastic bag into the pine tree and started running again, police said. The officer then Tasered Espinoza in his lower back and retrieved the plastic bag, which contained 10 smaller bags filled with a total of 10 grams of marijuana.

He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.