VIDEO: Police transport five men away in handcuffs from Ashton Apartments apartment building after traffic stop in apartment parking lot.
UPDATE: “Gypsy Scams” is a term used by law enforcement referring to a type of criminal operation, and is not intended as a slur to any ethnic population. The article below documents the use of the word “Gypsy” and does not support or deny that the term is often used by police agencies and media to describe crimes related to home repair fraud, ruse entry burglary, and burglary. For example, Deerfield Police (Illinois) in their published “Gypsy Scams” Alert note that “information about Gypsies only deals with those individual self-proclaimed Gypsies who have elected to live the criminal lifestyle.”
Be aware that some individuals may be offended by use of the word “Gypsy” if they perceive the word is used to refer to their ethnic background in connection with criminal or other undesirable behavior. In politically correct terms, it is best not to refer to a person as a Gypsy in connection with disparaging comments or descriptions.
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Arlington Heights police responded about 4:24 PM Tuesday to a request for police needing assistance at 2238 South Goebbert Road Arlington Heights, IL. Police received a report that unmarked detective units were busy on a traffic stop in the Ashton Apartments parking lot. Multiple subjects were in a minivan.
The minivan pulled into a parking spot east of an apartment building that was apparently connected with the vehicle occupants, and was two buildings west of the traffic stop.
It is unknown if one or more of the men fled to the apartment on foot or if the men voluntarily brought police to the apartment building. Police called for backup during the traffic stop.
The men were detained in an apartment hallway and handcuffed with plastic ties until an apparent senior victim was transported to the scene to identify the men at a “show up” in front of the apartment.
Police requested no video be captured of the “show up” especially requesting that the victim in the squad car not be captured on video. No video was taken by The Cardinal of the “show up.”
Five men were brought near a Cook County Sheriff’s police squad one-at-a-time to give the apparent senior victim a front view, and a side view for each side of each man. Police requested each man turn to each side. The apparent senior victim was then transported away from the scene. The five men were then transported in handcuffs in a caravan of police squads away from the apartment complex.
Police apparently transported the men to Cook County Sheriff’s Police office and court building on Maybrook Drive in Maywood. A minivan that had been stopped and blocked by police at the scene was towed to a police holding area.
Prior to the show-up, a Cook County Sheriff’s police officer said that the men were not arrested.
One man apparently complained about tightness from the handcuffs. A Cook County Sheriff’s officer immediately adjusted the handcuffs.
Neighbors near the apartment building stated at the scene that there has frequently been a steady flow of people visiting the apartment building. One witness said “they (the visitors) don’t use cell phones”, saying visitors frequently honk their vehicle horns to communicate with people inside to come out of the apartment building.
Illinois State Police, Cook County Sheriff’s Police and Arlington Heights Police Department officers were on the scene from about 4:20 p.m. until after 7:45 p.m.
Police were believed to be investigating some type of “Gypsy Scam” crime, but police did not officially confirm any details. At least five unmarked police vehicles were on the scene.
It is unknown if police were tailing a criminal crew or were able to catch up with a suspected criminal crew immediately after a reported crime. It is unknown where the crime might have occurred, but the crime apparently occurred in a Cook County Sheriff’s police jurisdiction.
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