Monday, June 23, 2025   |   View in browser

Weekly Deployment Meeting Highlights

In this post, a community member who sits in on the Evanston Police
Department’s weekly Deployment Meeting, shares notes on the topics discussed and writes about public safety matters of interest to people who work or live in Evanston.

The Publisher's Clearing House Scam

The Prize Patrol is not coming.

This is the fourth senior scam in as many weeks. Here’s what happened: 

On the afternoon of June 11, the loss prevention staff at the Jewel-Osco in the 2400 block of Howard called EPD to report that an 83-year-old woman was in the process of attempting to withdraw money from her account at Huntington Bank (inside Jewel-Osco) to purchase gift cards. They knew it was a scam.

She reported receiving a call stating she’d won $250,000 and a Mercedes from the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes and that she needed to purchase gift cards to cover the taxes. 

When officers arrived, the victim was on the phone with the scammer, who was encouraging her to withdraw $12,500. The EPD officer spoke to the grifter on the other end of the line and told her to stop contacting the victim. Huntington Bank assisted the victim in closing her accounts and opening new ones. The victim reported she had fallen prey to a similar scam a few months prior. 

The gift card scheme dates back to 2018. Apparently, it still works. Linking it to a Publisher’s Clearing House ruse is especially predatory for the elderly who, at some earlier point in their lives, may have responded to the company’s successful “You May Already Have Won” promotions. 

One glance at This Week’s Crime map attests to a busy week at EPD. Incidents covered at the Deployment Meeting follow.

Other incidents discussed at the meeting follow.

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Presentation – June 18, 2025 

Arrests

On June 15, the father of a juvenile detained during the investigation became upset and assaulted an EPD officer. He was charged with one count of aggravated battery to an officer and released.

Aggravated Battery

• Around 4:45 a.m. on June 13, officers responded to a call of criminal damage to property in the 1000 block of Main and contacted a person of interest. The subject retreated into the building and refused police demands to exit. When officers were able to gain entry, he resisted, battered an officer, and fled on foot. He was eventually apprehended and charged with aggravated battery to police officer and resisting arrest.
• Around 6:30 a.m. on June 12, officers responded to Evanston Hospital for a battery. Officers learned that the offender had been arrested at the hospital the previous day for assault and had returned to the hospital for psychological evaluation when he became agitated and verbally combative. Security was unable to de-escalate the situation when the man became aggressive and kicked one of them in the face. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery.

Burglary

Commercial

• On June 17, EPD received a call from security personnel regarding a burglary in progress at the Walgreens location on Chicago Avenue. Officers located a man matching the suspect's description about a block away who was in possession of a bag containing multiple cartons of cigarettes. Officers discovered that he was reported as a missing person from a Chicago group home. He was charged with one count of commercial burglary and returned to his care facility.
• The Xfinity store in the 1600 block of Sherman was burglarized on June 13. The front door was shattered, but nothing was reported missing. Detectives are reviewing security video.

Garage – An unlocked garage led to the disappearance of two mopeds and a bicycle in the 2100 block of Darrow on June 10. The mopeds were recovered later in Twiggs Park.

Motor Vehicle

There were twelve break-ins last week, most of them to unlocked vehicles at these locations:

• On June 17, in the 1100 block of McDaniel and the 1100 block of Pitner
• On June 16, in the 1200 block of Fowler
• On June 15, in the 1800 block of Darrow, the 2300 block of Dempster, and the 1800 block of Leland
• On June 14, in the 100 block of Chicago
• On June 13, in the 1300 block of Fowler and the 200 block of Keeney
• On June 12, in the 400 block of Asbury and the 1500 block of Keeney, and
• On June 12, in the 1500 block of Cleveland. 

Catalytic Converter Theft – Taken from a 2003 Ford F-130 in the 1800 block of between June 13 and June 15.

Criminal Damage to Property

On June 18, officers responded to a call regarding criminal damage to vehicles in the 700 block of Custer. The caller reported seeing a subject kicking multiple parked vehicles in the vicinity. Officers located an individual matching the description provided by a witness. Five vehicles on the block were damaged. The offender, who has a history of prior arrests for similar crimes, was charged with one count of criminal damage to vehicle.

Domestic Battery

Officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 300 block of Custer on June 15. This was the fourth call to the same residence since January. The female victim declined medical treatment but allowed her injuries to be documented by an Evidence Technician. Her assailant, located nearby, was charged with domestic battery, child endangerment, and two outstanding warrants.

Graffiti – On June 15, graffiti was observed on a garage in the 1100 block of Darrow.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Recovered

A 2015 Lincoln MKZ stolen from the 1500 block of Ashland on June 15 was recovered in the 1200 block of Dodge. A juvenile was charged and taken into custody charged with burglary to vehicle and possession of a stolen vehicle.

A 2023 Dodge Durango pinging in the 2300 block of Ridgeway was stolen from an outside jurisdiction and located by its owner. The inside of the truck had been rummaged, and a window was broken to gain entry. It was taken to a tow yard for retrieval by its owner.

On June 12, a Ford sedan stolen from Chicago was recovered in the 2400 block of Oakton and released to its owner.

Package Theft—Both on June 12, the 2700 block of Hampton Parkway and the 800 block of Mulford.

Weapons Related

Person with a Gun

• Police received a call around 3:15 p.m. on June 17 from a man who reported that an individual in a Dodge sedan pulled up next to him in the 1800 block of Leland and started an argument over parking. A passenger in the Dodge displayed a holstered handgun before the vehicle took off.
• On June 15 around 10:45 p.m., patrol officers observed a handgun fall to the ground during a disturbance in the west alley of the 2100 block of Dewey. The large crowd gathered there made it impossible to identify the individual who dropped the firearm. Body-worn camera footage enabled to officers to return to the scene and locate the discarded weapon. Two individuals have been identified as persons of interest.
• On June 11 at 10:30 p.m., an anonymous caller reported that a small group was shooting a music video with weapons in their hands on the 600 block of Brummel. Police checked the area with negative results.

Shots Fired

• On June 13, EPD responded to a call of four gunshots heard in the 200 block of Elmwood around 11:15 p.m. Officers searched the area with negative results.
• Officers on patrol and residents in the 1300 block of McDaniel heard loud reports coming from the alley. Two male subjects were seen leaving the alley. Cops did not observe shell casings or any property damage in the area.

Random Notes

• On June 14, a menacing email was sent to city staff in regard to immigration protections and threats against Evanston Police Officers. The investigation is ongoing.
• The Traffic Bureau would like to remind you that July Fourth traffic enforcement begins on June 20 and runs through July 7. (Also, for your own and the community’s safety, remember that fireworks—including sparklers—are illegal here.)
• Due to vacations, Insider is taking a few weeks off. We will be returning the week of July 7th. 

Inquiring Minds: Where to Find Overdose Boxes with Free Naloxone in Evanston

Thanks to Reader D.W. for asking INSIDER to share information on how citizens can access Overdose Boxes containing FREE life-saving Naloxone (Narcan).

Since 2023, the Evanston Health and Human Services Department has partnered with the Evanston Public Library and Evanston Park and Recreation Department to help prevent opioid-related deaths and hospitalizations. While Evanston has not experienced an opioid epidemic, opioid-related hospitalizations and overdoses do happen here. (There was, in fact, one this week in which the man recovered and was taken to the hospital.)

As part of this initiative, there are five conveniently located emergency overdose boxes throughout the city. These boxes contain kits, each equipped with Naloxone nasal spray and instructions on proper administration. Locations include:

• Main Library: 1703 Orrington Ave.
• Robert Crown Community Center: 1801 Main St.
• Evanston Ecology Center: 2024 N. McCormick Blvd.
• Levy Senior Center: 300 Dodge Ave.
• Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center: 1655 Foster St.

Naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) is a safe and effective medication designed to counter the potentially fatal consequences of an opioid overdose, including those stemming from substances like heroin, prescription painkillers, and fentanyl.

About Naloxone:

• It is non-addictive and nontoxic
• It poses no adverse effects, even in the case of children
• As an opioid blocker, Naloxone solely targets opioid overdoses, having no impact on other substances or situations

More News You Can Use:

If you suspect someone is experiencing a drug overdose, immediately dial 911. If possible, follow the instructions provided in the Naloxone kit to administer the medication and remain on-site until emergency responders arrive.

For those in need of assistance or information concerning opioid-related issues, including concerned family members and friends of affected individuals, support is available. The Illinois Department of Human Services provides a 24/7 hotline at 833-234-6343. Additional resources can be found at ilhelpline.org.

For more details about Evanston's Narcan program, please visit cityofevanston.org/opioid or contact the Health and Human Services Department at health@cityofevanston.org or 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

Send us your questions. What would you like to know? We’ll respond with an answer in the next issue or two. Comments and suggestions are welcome too. Contact us here.

The weekly deployment report is an informational bulletin prepared by a community member that keeps citizens informed about what police do on a weekly basis. Information contained in this report is not to be considered as a media/press release. Any information considered by a media source from this bulletin needs to be verified by an official from the department. This can be done by contacting the media line at 847-866-5026.