Police are investigating $1,400 worth of cell phones stolen from Cricket Wireless on Wednesday in south Evanston.

A man entered the store at 313 Howard St. around 5 p.m. and expressed interest in cell service, Evanston police communications coordinator Perry Polinski said. He then allegedly grabbed an Apple iPhone 8 and Samsung Galaxy S9 from the counter and fled.

Police have not yet identified a suspect.

Evanston man charged with battery

An 18-year-old Evanston man was arrested Wednesday near a central Evanston church in connection with battery.

Police responded to a person calling from Springfield Baptist Church, 1801 Emerson St., reporting a suspicious person, Polinski said. Police located a man in the area for whom they had an active battery warrant from an incident in February.

In that incident two months ago, an acquaintance of the Evanston man was arguing with a 51-year-old man who belongs to the church congregation, Polinski said. The Evanston man allegedly intervened and battered the older man.

He was charged with battery Wednesday.

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