Robinson Taylor, 21, a student at Columbia College Chicago, took the role of the inside man in a recent home invasion, letting armed robbers into an Old Town apartment, where they beat his friends with brass knuckles and a handgun, according to Cook County prosecutors via the Chicago Tribune. Taylor was spotted on the security video on early Friday morning, opening the outer door to let the men inside. After beating the victims, the men stole computer and stereo equipment, before fleeing. Taylor allegedly climbed out a third-story window after the victims confronted. Police arrested him at 3:30 a.m. on Friday. He was held on Saturday in lieu of $450,000 bail on three felony counts of home invasion with a gun. more ›

Police in Tinley Park are going all out as they try to locate suspects from an early morning home invasion. Two suspects are already in custody but two more or on the loose. Several schools in the area have been put on soft lock-down and trains through the area are being searched as the hunt continues. Tinley Park PD Cmdr. Rick Bruno said, "We have the perimeter established. We've been using helicopters and K-9 teams. We consider these individuals armed and dangerous. So, we want to get them into custody as soon as possible. We have law enforcement presence at the local schools, nurseries and transportation centers in the area. That was a decision that the school district made for contingency purposes, and we do have officers there to try to reassure the people that they are protected." None of the family members involved in the invasion were seriously hurt; two were taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. more ›

It looks like the city recorded its first homicide of 2010 over the weekend. Joyce Fulguim, 61, was found dead in her home (11000-block of South Lowe) Saturday afternoon from blunt force trauma to the head. Police say evidence points to Fulguim being the victim of a home invasion. Several items - including her car - were taken but police later recovered the stolen vehicle and had two people being held for questioning. more ›

The Chicago City Council voted 35-4 yesterday to award a $2.5 million to the family of Juan Salazar (pictured left), a 14-year-old shot and killed by Rafael Balbontin (pictured right), an off-duty police officer in 2002. The Council reasoned it was less than would be awarded if the case went before a jury. But here's the first thing that makes this strange: Salazar was shot during a home invasion of Balbontin's parents' home.

Officer Rafael Balbontin was in the basement of his parents' Northwest Side home when two men wearing yellow ponchos and masks and armed with a pellet gun knocked on the door and forced their way into the house. more ›

Image by John P. Glynn