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| Map of reported theft and suspicious behavior incidents on Friday and Saturday | Google |
Well, this sure sounds familiar.
Chicago police are once again investigating a rash of thefts from salons, retail shops, and coffeehouses across Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and North Center.
The latest two-day theft blitz closely resembles a pattern that was reported across the North Side in mid-December.
At 6 p.m. on Friday, police were called to the 1400 block of West Fullerton after a group of three young men reportedly stole two cellphones from the Bristle + Grace Salon.
The thieves were described as three black male teenagers. One wore saggy jeans and a black hoodie. Another wore blue jeans and a white hoodie. The third wore a black hoodie, jeans, and black shoes.
At least six businesses reported similar thefts or suspicious activity on Saturday:
• At 1:10 p.m., two teens were caught rummaging through an employee’s purse at a store in the 1000 block of West Belmont.
• At 1:15 p.m., a woman’s purse was reported stolen from a Starbucks at Diversey and Sheffield. The suspects were described as a black teen female in a green coat and a “very heavyset” black male.
• Also at 1:15 p.m., a wallet was stolen from a shop in the 3000 block of North Lincoln. Five young males then ran eastbound from the scene. One wore a red hoodie and another wore a black jacket.
• At 1:20 p.m., a shop manager reported four to five male teenagers checking door handles and walking in and out of retail shops along the 1100 block of West Belmont.
• At 2:25 p.m., three black male teenagers entered a hair salon in the 4300 block of North Lincoln and went into private areas of the business and behind the cash register. One was wearing a blue hoodie and the other was wearing a red hoodie when they got chased out by an employee.
• At 4:04 p.m., a jewelry store manager in the 1900 block of West Montrose told police that she had been “startled” by three male teenagers who came into the store and aggressively questioned her about diamonds. They then left and went into a neighboring store.
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| December theft suspects seen in a Lakeview shop (above) | Deltronics |
Memories of December
DNAInfo Chicago reported on December 21 that police had arrested three juveniles in connection with a series similarly-executed thefts from North Side businesses.
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| December theft suspects in Lincoln park resemble the Lakeview men| DNAInfo |
While a rash of Lakeview incidents reported around the same time was not specifically connected to the December 21 arrests, suspects seen on surveillance video secured by DNAInfo appear to be the same suspects seen in surveillance images that were provided independently to CWB Chicago by Deltronics Pro Audio Repair in Lakeview.
Things quieted down after the arrests were announced, but those juvies have been set free and one has to wonder who might be responsible for the latest round of thievery.
