Chicago police have issued a community alert on a string of burglaries this week targeting businesses from the north lakefront to the Southwest Side.
In each incident, four or five burglars have broken into businesses by breaking a glass front door or window with sledgehammers or pry bars, police said.
The burglars have then entered each business and stolen money, cash registers, ATMs, and merchandise, before fleeing in a getaway vehicle.
Two of the burglaries happened early Monday morning at a pair of businesses across the street from each other in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Serai Café and Deli and Big Apple Finer Foods, both on Clark Street just south of Fullerton Parkway, were both hit around 3 a.m. Monday.
The full list of burglaries with times and locations is as follows:
- The 3500 block of North Broadway, Lakeview East, Monday, Jan. 12, at 2:57 a.m.
- Serai’s Café and Deli, 2342 N. Clark St., and Big Apple Finer Foods, 2345 N. Clark St., Lincoln Park, Monday, Jan. 12, at 3 a.m.
- The 2600 block of West 39th Place, Brighton Park, Monday, Jan. 12, at 3:22 a.m.
- The 4500 block of South Archer Avenue, Brighton Park, Monday, Jan. 12, at 3:29 a.m.
- The 4400 block of South Western Avenue, Brighton Park, Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 4:23 a.m.
- The 3200 block of South Princeton Avenue, Armour Square, Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 4:41 a.m.
Police said the break-ins involve four to five burglars wearing black ski masks, black hooded sweat shirts, and black pants. They have used a black or purple 2018 Kia Optima and a gray Kia Sorrento as getaway cars.
Anyone with information should call Wentworth Area detectives at 312-747-8384, or Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8263, or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com. using reference # 26-CWP-003.
The video above is from a previous report.
