Gang activity leads to arrests in Rolling Meadows

A few angry looks between gang members in Rolling Meadows led to criminal damage and multiple arrests that spanned several days last week, according to police.

"It involved some gang members who saw each other on the street and exchanged some challenging looks with other rival gang members," said Cmdr. Tom Calcagno of the Rolling Meadows Police Department.

Calcagno didn't release the names of the gangs involved.

According to Calcagno, the incidents began at 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 when a woman was hit on the head with a bottle on the 3700 block of East Frontage Road near Route 53. When officers arrived, a group of people involved were fleeing the area. One juvenile was caught and charged with battery.

To retaliate, between 10 and 12 people broke some windows in a home on the 2600 block of Rohlwing Road around midnight on Oct. 12, reports said. The damage to five windows and a street lamp was estimated at $2,300, according to police reports.

Four adults, ages 18 through 24 years old were charged, along with two 16-year-olds from Schaumburg and a 15-year-old from Arlington Heights. All were charged with criminal damage to property.

The problem was, the group vandalized the wrong house, Calcagno said.

"No one who lived at the house was involved with anything," he said.

The final incident occurred at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 when shots were fired at a house on the 3700 block of East Frontage Road. No one was injured and police are still looking for the men responsible, Calcagno said.

"Our investigations unit is still looking into the shooting," he said.

Despite the recent criminal activity, the area is safe and not known for being a gang hot spot, Calcagno said.

"We do believe it's over," he said. "We did pass out a flier telling neighbors to be vigilant and to call us if they see anything going on."