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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.

Hit and Run

This is a stock and not an actual crime scene photo.

It was an unusual week. Not only have we never reported on hit-and-run incidents in over 400 posts, but there were three of them, two involving alcohol, last week. Here, practically verbatim and directly from the Deployment Meeting are three tales from the front:

Around 4 p.m. on Apr. 28, a witness stated that a white Lexus struck a parked vehicle in the 1100 block of Clark and then struck a curb four blocks later before coming to a stop. A parking enforcement officer called EPD to report that the driver had a large open bottle of wine with her in the front seat. Responding officers reported smelling alcohol on the woman’s breath. They also observed heavy front-end damage and a dark paint transfer on the driver’s side of the Lexus. The highly intoxicated driver, unable to stand, was taken to the hospital. She was charged with DUI and several other vehicle violations.

Officers responded to an altercation between two subjects over a car crash around 5 p.m. on Apr. 28. Upon arrival, officers met with a victim who stated he was driving west on Emerson near Ridge when a subject in a silver vehicle struck his car. He reported following the subject until the offender stopped his vehicle. The subject was present as officers arrived. A search of the man’s car revealed multiple open beer cans, an open bottle of vodka, and an open bottle of tequila. The offender, who has two previous DUIs, fled on foot but was apprehended by patrol sergeants after a foot chase.

The victim, a 63-year-old woman, was crossing eastbound in the crosswalk with the green light around 1:30 p.m. on Apr. 25 when a small-sized silver or brown SUV traveling westbound on Grove turned south onto Chicago. The vehicle struck the pedestrian, who was transported to Evanston Hospital. Video footage exists. At the time of authoring this, the traffic bureau had strong leads.

Other incidents follow.

Weekly Crime Map

Click to enlarge

Deployment Presentation – April 30, 2025 

Arson

• On Apr. 29, a caller reported that a family member entered her apartment in south Evanston, setting a mattress and a chair on fire. Building management was able to extinguish the fire.
• Around the same time on Apr. 27 (2 a.m.), juveniles (likely) set fire to a portable toilet near the lakefront and an object in the alley behind the 600 block of Hinman. The fires were small and quickly extinguished.

Bike Theft—A bicycle secured to a bike rack was stolen in the 1800 block of Maple on Apr. 23.

Burglary

Commercial Burglary:

There were two commercial burglaries of businesses in the 700 block of Main just after midnight on Apr. 28:

• The front glass door of the Wine Goddess was shattered, but the burglar was unable to gain entry.
• He was more successful at La Principal, where he broke a front window to gain entry. He absconded with several bottles of tequila.

The offender, captured on security video, was taken into custody on Apr. 30.

Garage Burglary—Between Apr. 1 and Apr. 16, a bicycle, hedge trimmer, and lawn edger were reported missing from an unlocked garage in the 2500 block of Payne.

Motor Vehicle Burglary—three this week:

• Cash from an unlocked 2013 Honda in the 1800 block of Madison between Apr. 27 and Apr. 28.
• A purse and ice skates from an unlocked 2019 Nissan in the 300 block of Sherman between Apr. 24 and Apr. 25.
• A purse, wallet, credit cards, a cooler, and a trauma bag from a vehicle in the 700 block of Reba on Apr. 25.

Catalytic Converter Theft

We are not alone. There has been a sharp increase in Chicago as well as surrounding suburbs. The Crime Analyst says that many appear to involve a white Lexus. All seven of them were in Beats 71, 72, and 73—south Evanston.

• Apr. 28—Toyota Prius vehicles (2) in the 700 block of Madison.
• Apr. 24—2021 Acura near Barton and Hull, 2011 Ford Escape, 2000 Toyota Celica, and 2010 Toyota Sienna in the 100 block of Clyde.
• Apr. 23 – Apr. 24—2010 Toyota near Elmwood and Austin.

Motor Vehicle Theft

Attempted:

• Between Apr. 27 and Apr. 28, a 2016 Maserati in the 1100 block of Judson.
• On Apr. 25, a 2020 Infiniti with its sunroof damaged in the 800 block of Lee. It was the second time thieves attempted to steal the vehicle.
• The owner of a 2021 Infiniti was able to capture video of three individuals, one armed with a handgun, attempting to steal the car in the 900 block of Hinman on Apr. 25. 

Recovered:

• A 2019 Acura RDX stolen from the 1400 block of Madison between Apr. 27 and Apr. 28 was located in Cicero on Apr. 29.
• A Hyundai Tucson stolen out of Wheeling and used in a Waukegan commercial burglary was recovered in the 1900 block of Simpson on Apr. 27.

Theft:

• A 2019 Kia Stinger stolen from the 900 block of Maple between Apr. 24 and Apr. 25 was captured on Flock cameras leaving Evanston in the early morning hours.
• A 2019 Subaru Outback was stolen from the 2000 block of Noyes on Apr. 23.

Package Theft—A package containing an Apple Watch was stolen from a residence in the 1700 block of Ridge on Apr. 23. 

Possession of a Stolen Vehicle—Arrest

On Apr. 28, a female driving a rental vehicle stolen out of Maywood was stopped in Evanston. It turned out that the 2017 Chevy Cruze was rented on Apr. 10 with a return date of Apr. 21. The driver told EPD officers that she had no intention of returning the vehicle. She was charged with felony possession of a stolen vehicle.

News you can use: The SUV was rented on the Turo app. Turo is an app (think Airbnb or VRBO) that “hosts” can use to rent out their personal vehicles.

Weapons Related

Shots Fired – Multiple shots were reported on Apr. 29 in the 700 block of Dewey. The area was checked with negative results.

Random Notes

• Correction: In last week’s INSIDER, this statement appeared in the introduction: “I was too young to understand that the cost of a meal generally does not include a tip.” It should have been written as: “I was too young to understand the nuances of gratuities.”
• A woman associated with numerous assault incidents on the Red and Purple Line CTA trains, including an incident on Apr. 9 in which she battered an Evanston commuter, has been identified by police.
• EPD detectives were able to charge a caregiver with felony aggravated identity theft on Apr. 22. The charges stem from the report of a resident’s missing wallet at a skilled care facility on Jan. 13.  
• No kind deed: On Apr. 29, a man was shown a handgun by a couple he’d simply acknowledged with a friendly greeting on his walk home.
• No injuries were reported when a 86-year-old female accidentally crashed into the front window of a Subway restaurant in the 3300 block of Central on Apr. 29.
• Remember the residential burglar caught sleeping in a victim’s bed a few weeks ago? He failed to show up in court for those charges. Arrest warrants have been issued. 

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.