By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK — Observant motorists and residents tipped off police in time to apprehend a 19-year-old man believed to have broken into a pawn shop late Monday night.
Police responded at 10:40 p.m. Monday to 14k Gold Pawn Shop, 1430 Fort St., where officers saw a side entry door had been broken with several red bricks. A witness told police he was traveling south on Fort when he saw the suspect break the lower window of the shop and climb in.
The witness U-turned, and while driving north on Fort saw the suspect leaving the store carrying a large black speaker that was later determined to be a $70 sub woofer.
Another officer responding to the call was told that the suspect was driving a Park Avenue car, wearing all black with a red baseball hat, and was last seen heading south. The officer located the Park Avenue as it was parking next to a curb on Keppen near Lafayette.
The officer parked adjacent to the Park Avenue, activated the patrol car’s lights and exited to approach the driver. The suspect put the car in reverse and accelerated backwards down Keppen before losing control of the vehicle and striking first a street sign before crashing into a fire hydrant.
The suspect was taken into custody and is awaiting approved warrants to be charged with breaking-and-entering and burglary.
According to police reports, the suspect admitted to the burglary and said that he needed money to put food on the table.