Burglars targeted several Lincoln Park businesses overnight. Prosecutors have charged two people in connection with one of the crimes.
Around 11 p.m., police responded to a burglary in progress on the 700 block of West Wrightwood after a resident reported seeing a man break the front door of a hair salon with a brick and then climb inside. Cash was reportedly taken from the business.
Officers searched the area and questioned four males who were found nearby. Police arrested two members of the group who were allegedly identified by the witness.
Prosecutors today charged Deamonte T. Parker, 18, with misdemeanor criminal damage to property and a 16-year-old juvenile with felony burglary in connection with the break-in at Smith & Davis Salon, 735 West Wrightwood.
Investigators determined that there was also an attempt to break into Hummingbird Studios at 737 West Wrightwood, but no one has been charged with that incident.
Burglars struck a least two other businesses overnight: Nails Boutique at 612 West Webster and We’re There Pet Care at 1401 West Webster. No arrests have been made in those cases.
Area North detectives last week issued a community alert after businesses in Lakeview and Roscoe Village were burglarized by someone who threw bricks through glass doors. So far, no one has been charged with those crimes.
Ironically, the Wrightwood burglaries gave police a jumpstart on investigating a series of arson fires that erupted across Lincoln Park and Lakeview early Tuesday.
Officers who were guarding the burglary scenes were the first to report that someone set a dumpster in an alley on the 700 block of Wrightwood. The firebug went on to start five more fires, including one that spread to a large residential garage structure.
Not funny
A cleaning crew interrupted a burglary in progress Monday morning when they arrived to tidy up the iO Theater, 1501 North Kingsbury.
Police said the workers walked into the club and found two burglars in the bar area. Both prowlers ran out the back door, but one of them took a moment to steal a $20 sweater from the counter. That was reportedly the only thing taken.
One of the burglars dropped a screwdriver at the scene. Police collected it as evidence.
The clean-up crew said the burglars looked very much alike: Both were reportedly black men in their mid-40’s who stood about 6’3” tall, and weighed about 240 pounds. They both wore black hoodies with black jeans and each carried a bookbag.