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SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 12:24 AM

My usual Saturday night plans do not involve a call from my dad telling me how he was held up at knife point, but this time was an exception. My parents live in a northwest suburb of Chicago were the vast majority of the crime takes place at the local mall . . . by store employees. As the economy has worsened there has been slightly more crime, but still nothing major or violent.

Then I got tonight's call.

Thankfully my dad is ok, however the mugger managed to run away. See, if you want to mug someone and make an easy buck good advice is to not mug an orthodox Jew on a Saturday when they carry no money. Say it with me . . . mugging a religious Jew on the sabbath = FAIL.

lexapro · Jun 7, 2009, 12:31 AM

Where did this happen? In Skokie?

SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by lexapro

Where did this happen? In Skokie?

Sadly, yes.
20 year old kid, hooded sweatshirt, large knife, broad daylight.

Jawbone54 · Jun 7, 2009, 01:14 AM

I'm just happy your dad is fine.

lexapro · Jun 7, 2009, 01:30 AM

On Dempster?

Big Mac · Jun 7, 2009, 04:32 AM

Happy to know your father is fine, SSharon. Not surprising that a low-life wouldn't know the Shabbos laws.

SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by lexapro

On Dempster?

No, on one of the side streets.

Thanks Jawbone and Big Mac for the well wishes.

Andy8 · Jun 7, 2009, 10:16 AM

The land of the free.

Chuckit · Jun 7, 2009, 11:09 AM

The mugger probably ran away in shame.

Gankdawg · Jun 7, 2009, 11:21 AM

That's why you always bring a gun to a knife fight.

Glad to hear he's OK.

Ghoser777 · Jun 7, 2009, 11:40 AM

Yikes, that's terrible... I work in Skokie and would never imagine that even happening...

Glad your Dad is ok.

ringo · Jun 7, 2009, 12:04 PM

Glad nobody got hurt, and learned something new today.

Originally Posted by Gankdawg

That's why you always bring a gun to a knife fight.

In Chicago? Good luck with that.

SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Gankdawg

That's why you always bring a gun to a knife fight.

Glad to hear he's OK.

He was walking to synagogue so carrying a gun wasn't really an option (not that he would carry one any other day). The guy ran off when a car approached that saw what was going on. Perhaps the driver should have just hit him.

kylef · Jun 7, 2009, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Happy to know your father is fine, SSharon. Not surprising that a low-life wouldn't know the Shabbos laws.

I wouldn't consider myself "a low-life", and I don't know them.

Chuckit · Jun 7, 2009, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by kylef

I wouldn't consider myself "a low-life", and I don't know them.

Big Mac never suggested that. Most lowlifes don't know Orthodox Jewish law very well, much like most dogs can't replace a carburetor. Just because I can't replace a carburetor doesn't mean I'm probably a dog. The logic doesn't work in both directions.

hatehereyes · Jun 7, 2009, 01:47 PM

WOW.

Glad to hear he's ok though.

SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by kylef

I wouldn't consider myself "a low-life", and I don't know them.

I don't expect everyone to know the rules, but Skokie has a huge population of orthodox Jews so most people (but apparently not all) in the area know the basics.

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2009, 02:03 PM

Geez, unbeliavable.

Btw, is Skokie really considered a Northwest suburb ?
I thought Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Barrington etc. would be considered Northwest.

-t

ghporter · Jun 7, 2009, 02:25 PM

Sorry to hear about your dad's shake up. But I'm glad that he's not hurt-and that the culprit didn't profit from his action. It's quite possible that this was a "one off" act by someone who was desperate. If he was indeed a "regular" criminal, he'd probably have had a gun instead of a knife - Illinois gun laws don't impede Illinois criminals any more than gun laws anywhere impede any other criminals. But fleeing when someone might spot the crime is also an indication that this wasn't your typical law breaker.

Anyway, give your father our best.

kylef · Jun 7, 2009, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

I don't expect everyone to know the rules, but Skokie has a huge population of orthodox Jews so most people (but apparently not all) in the area know the basics.

Ah - this I didn't know either..

SSharon · Jun 7, 2009, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Btw, is Skokie really considered a Northwest suburb ?
I thought Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Barrington etc. would be considered Northwest.

Well northwest as opposed to northeast anyway

Thanks for the comments Glen and everyone else.

My father has been taking all of this in stride and is making jokes about it already. Yes, he has an amazing sense of humor.

lexapro · Jun 8, 2009, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Geez, unbeliavable.

Btw, is Skokie really considered a Northwest suburb ?
I thought Arlington Heights, Palatine, Schaumburg, Barrington etc. would be considered Northwest.

-t

Don't forget Buffalo Grove.

turtle777 · Jun 8, 2009, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by lexapro

Don't forget Buffalo Grove.

Well, yeah, I mean, I could list dozens of villages around there.

I just thought Skokie would be considered North, not Northwest.

-t

Captain Obvious · Jun 8, 2009, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

I just thought Skokie would be considered North, not Northwest.

-t

it is

But if your perspective is one of a suburbanite though your sense of geography is messed up. Relative to the city skokie is just north. If the burb touches the lakefront its north shore. If its beyond Ohare then its NW.

Skokie has gone down just like Evanston has. Sucks he got robbed but its not a surprise anymore

chichow · Jun 9, 2009, 12:32 PM

C Obvious,

Please please tell me you are NOT living in 440 N. Wabash or at least you are renting and don't own there.

chichow · Jun 9, 2009, 12:33 PM

Sharon,

I'm terribly sorry.

FWIW I grew up around Flossmoor (suburb of Illinois) and we also had LOTSA of Jews <-- not so observant though

chichow · Jun 9, 2009, 12:35 PM

So why has Evanston went to *boom*

Granted I haven't been there in a little bit - last time was to try this yogurt place - Red Mango. Looked fine then.

SSharon · Jun 9, 2009, 01:20 PM

Every town has its nice places and not so nice places, but the area of Skokie I am from has always had next to no crime, nevermind any type of violent crime.

I used to work In Evanston and it is really the same thing there. The yuppy areas and university (northwestern) are nice, and the rest of city leaves a bit to be desired.

Captain Obvious · Jun 9, 2009, 03:17 PM

No, but i can see if from my office. I live about 5 blocks north of that.

Downtown Evanston is tiny and even with the added NU police is the area it is still not all that safe at night for being a burb. Its still not Cicero but what its like now compared to 15 years ago the area has gone down hill.

d4nth3m4n · Jun 9, 2009, 06:52 PM

shomer f*cking shabbos.

chichow · Jun 10, 2009, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by chichow

So why has Evanston went to *boom*

Granted I haven't been there in a little bit - last time was to try this yogurt place - Red Mango. Looked fine then.

I stand corrected on Evanston

Pizza man: Injured driver likes his tip: $16,000 -- chicagotribune.com

chichow · Jun 10, 2009, 10:38 AM

So I don't mind saying. I live in Old Town, Chicago.

I guess its true in the city. I can walk a couple of blocks and be either in million dollar homes or some of the most infamous housing projects in the nation.