A surge in burglary cases in the Lakeview-based Town Hall (19th) Police District claimed a high-profile victim Monday: local Alderman Tom Tunney.
One of Tunney’s staff members notified the Town Hall station of a break-in to the alderman’s office at 3223 North Sheffield around 11 a.m. Beat cops, supervisors, and an evidence technician responded to the scene. A burglar pried open the back door to Tunney’s office suite and stole material from inside, including a laptop, according to a CPD report.
Tunney’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Burglaries in the Town Hall District were up 200% last week compared to the same week in 2019, according to CPD data. Most of those cases involved residential break-ins, not commercial locations. There were 15 cases last week, compared to five the year before. However, year-to-date burglaries are down 7% in the district as more people stay home during the COVID pandemic.
In 2019, newly-elected Mayor Lori Lightfoot appointed Tunney to serve as Vice Mayor and tapped Tunney to chair the City Council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.
Last week, protesters armed with “wanted” posters bearing Tunney’s picture disrupted brunch service at his flagship Ann Sather Restaurant, 909 West Belmont, to oppose a plan to declare the Pilsen neighborhood a landmark district. Tunney’s Zoning Committee is scheduled to vote on the proposal next month.
Tunney has consistently won re-election to represent the 44th Ward since former Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed him in 2003.