An elderly Oak Lawn woman was attacked early Thursday by an intruder who broke into her home and stole some of her possessions, according to police.
The 86-year-old homeowner sustained injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, Division Chief Randy Palmer said.
The man forced open the front door of the house in the 9000 block of 51st Avenue about 1:30 a.m., and was confronted by the woman, who had been awakened by a loud noise a short time earlier when the man first tried to break in through the door, police said.
The woman was “physically assaulted and several items from the home were taken” before the man fled, according to a police statement, and she was unable to contact police for more than an hour after the incident.
Police said they don’t know whether the woman was targeted or it was a random act. The burglar was still at large, police said.
Police had yellow tape around the house until about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, when an officer removed it. At 12:45 p.m., several people arrived at the house. One woman who identified herself as the resident’s granddaughter declined comment other than to say that her grandmother was “OK.” Another woman declined comment.
Neighbors said they were disturbed by such a violent crime in their normally quiet neighborhood.
Liza and Sami Nemri have lived next door to the victim for about 15 years and were awakened by police knocking on their front door at 3:30 a.m., Sami said.
“It was strange that early, so I looked outside and saw the police and their lights. They told me there was a home invasion,” he said.
He and his wife said that with the exception of an occasional catalytic converter or bicycle being stolen, the neighborhood is peaceful.
“It’s not a bad neighborhood,” Liza said.
She said the woman mostly keeps to herself.
“We don’t see her that much. She’s older, so she has someone cut her grass. We do see her driving. The kids call her the lady with the flag because she has an American flag hanging on (her car’s rearview) mirror,” Liza said.
The home invasion has her concerned for other residents because “there are a lot of older folk living here,” she said.
Avis Owens, who works for ACE Board-Up Co., was at the house about 1 p.m. to secure the front door.
“It looks like the door was kicked in,” Owens said.
The well-kept, single-story house has a 6-foot-tall fence in the small back yard that sits between the house and garage.
Police urged senior citizens living alone to contact family members to help them take property security precautions. Residents are advised to keep phones near their bed to call 911 if need be and to use deadbolts on their doors and motion-sensor lighting whenever possible, police said.
They’re asking anyone with information about the home invasion to call police at 708-422-8292.
