CHICAGO — Police are warning cosmetics and fragrance stores from Lincoln Park to the West Loop about a burglary crew targeting similar businesses during overnight hours.
The group has burglarized at least six stores since mid-November, including two locations on Sunday morning, according to a new alert from CPD detectives. In an earlier warning issued after the first two burglaries, police linked the crew to a string of armed robberies and carjackings, too.
CPD said the group breaks the store’s front window or uses a pry tool to force their way through the front door. After they gain entry, they haul away perfume and cologne from the displays.
Detectives have now linked the crew to burglaries at cosmetics stores in the following areas:
- 2700 block of North Clybourn at 2:30 a.m. on November 15 and 3:20 a.m. on December 10
- First block of South Halsted at 3:05 a.m. on November 15 and 6:40 a.m. on December 10
- 1300 block of North Ashland at 3:30 a.m. on December 5
- 1000 block of West North Avenue at 4:02 a.m. on December 5
While police have not publicly identified the burglarized stores, an Ulta Beauty store is located on each block named in CPD’s alert.
Police said the burglars had used a dark green Dodge Charger with tinted windows as transportation in most of the incidents. They described the burglars as two or three Black males between 16 and 20 years old who wore ski masks, dark hoodies, and dark track pants with white stripes.
After the first two burglaries on November 15, CPD issued an alert linking the break-ins to a group of up to six men who displayed handguns to carjack and rob people across the North Side. After the robberies, the group used the hijacked cars to burglarize the stores at 2700 North Clybourn and in the first block of South Halsted, police said last month.
In the hours leading up to the November 15 break-ins, the crew robbed or carjacked victims in the 1800 block of West Belle Plaine, the 5300 block of North Damen, the 4400 block of North Lincoln, the 2200 block of West Irving Park; the 900 block of West Grace; and the 3500 block of North Clark, CPD’s previous alert said.
Information about the burglars can be shared with Area Three detectives at 312-744-8263. The community alert number is 23-3-091.
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