Chicago man charged with reckless conduct, criminal damage to property

Police arrested a 36-year-old man Monday at his home in Chicago in connection with a fire started at an Evanston apartment building in early April.

Evanston police and firefighters responded to a fire April 3 around 1:50 a.m. in the 300 block of Howard Street, police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said. Firefighters put out the fire and no one was injured, he said.

People at the scene told officials they were having a party in one of the apartments and had kicked the 36-year-old man out, Dugan said. The man made some threatening statements to them before leaving, Dugan said. Soon after, people noticed a fire had been started in the kitchen area of the apartment next door, police said.

The people at the party knew the man and were able to provide his name to police, Dugan said.

The Chicago man was charged with two misdemeanors and is scheduled to appear in court May 27.

Computer, stereo stolen from home in central Evanston

A known acquaintance stole a computer and stereo from the home of an Evanston woman near Evanston Township High School, police said.

The woman told police that a 32-year-old man she knew had started knocking on her window around 8 p.m. on Monday and would not stop, Dugan said. After he refused to go away, the 58-year-old woman let him into her house in the 1800 block of Darrow Avenue and gave him some food, Dugan said.

After the man had left, the woman noticed her Dell laptop, valued around $1000, and her stereo, valued around $100, were both missing, police said. There were no signs of forced entry and the man was the only one in her house during the time the items disappeared, Dugan said.

Police took down the man’s name and will try to locate him, Dugan said.

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