While street robberies and carjackings are grabbing the headlines on the North Side, a prolific nighttime burglary crew has been hard at work this week.
Chicago police on Thursday warned businesses across the North Side about the team of three or four men who’ve been breaking into stores — mostly liquor stores and mom ‘n’ pop convenience stores — to steal. The alert said that the thieves smash a store’s front windows or doors to gain entry and then take liquor, cigarettes, and cash registers. We’ve learned they also like to steal scratch-off lottery tickets.
Among the stores that have been victimized recently:
- Fine Food and Liquor, 3642 North Ashland, at 1:35 a.m. Wednesday
- Unspecified liquor store on the 4900 block of North Damen at 2:28 a.m. Wednesday
- J & B Liquor, 1959 West Lawrence, at 2:41 a.m. Wednesday
- Ideal Minimart, 6900 North Clark, at 2:42 a.m. Thursday
- Clark Supermarket, 6647 North Clark, around 2:50 a.m. Thursday
- Edgewater Food and Wine, 1105 West Bryn Mawr, ad 3 a.m. Thursday
- Breakers Pantry, 5343 North Sheridan, around 3:35 a.m. Thursday
- Best Buy Liquors, 1932 West Montrose, at 3:55 a.m. Thursday and at 3:40 a.m. on December 8
We know of two other businesses that have been similarly targeted this week:
- Bestcom Wireless, 6118 North Broadway, at 2:36 a.m. Wednesday
- Hertz Rental Car, 5050 North Lincoln, at 2:24 a.m. Thursday
Anyone with information about any of the crimes can contact detectives at 312-744-8263 about crime pattern P21-3-139.
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