THE HANGOUT?: Cops Eye Garage In Robbery Crackdown

The garage driveway and staircase entrance at 3224 N. Halsted

A cop who works the Wrigleyville and Boystown area thinks his fellow officers should give  a little extra love to the area around a parking garage at 3224 N. Halsted.

The garage, which is used for parking by the public as well as residents of an adjacent condo building, has also been used for sleeping and socializing by visitors to the neighborhood.

Late last Saturday night, one “transient youth” named “Isis” ran from the garage to the nearby Dunkin’ Donuts at Belmont and Clark where she called 911 and reported that she had been robbed by acquaintances at the garage. Officers arrived quickly, but Isis suddenly changed her mind about getting police involved in the matter. No report was filed.

Also last weekend, officers on the Boystown/Wrigleyville robbery mission team executed a trespassing arrest in the alley near the rear entrances the the 3224 complex and the nearby Steamworks bathhouse after seeing the offender engage in suspicious activity.

The rear doors to Steamworks (L) and the 3232-3224 Halsted complex (R)

Chicago Police Department records indicate that the garage at 3224 N. Halsted has seen a marked increase in criminal activity, mostly vehicle break-ins. 

Total number of crimes reported in the garage at 3224 N. Halsted each year, according to Chicago Police:

2007: 7
2008: 3
2009: 2
2010: 6
2011: 27
2012: 11

This weekend’s trespassing arrest was the first at the garage this year.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com