ATM Burglary Crew Targets Businesses in Chicago
An ATM burglary crew has been actively targeting businesses across Chicago’s North and Northwest sides, with at least three incidents reported since Christmas morning, according to police reports. The latest burglaries took place in Lincoln Park and Portage Park, following a similar theft in North Center.
At around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, four masked individuals broke into Local Option, a tavern located at 1102 West Webster Avenue in Lincoln Park. Surveillance footage shows the suspects arriving in an SUV, wearing masks, and forcibly entering the establishment. They proceeded to remove an ATM from the premises, load it into the vehicle, and flee the scene.
Shortly after, at approximately 4 a.m., a similar incident occurred at Di’s Den on 5100 West Irving Park Road in Portage Park. Investigators suspect that the same group may be responsible for this burglary based on the timing, modus operandi, and surveillance evidence.
Authorities are currently investigating whether the suspects used a stolen SUV, which was observed circling areas on the Northwest Side prior to the Monday morning break-ins. The vehicle in question is described as a Kia, registered as brown but appearing gray in low light conditions. Additional footage shows five individuals exiting the vehicle and seemingly scouting multiple buildings before the burglaries took place.
The string of break-ins commenced on Christmas morning with a theft at Lucky Mini Mart on the 4100 block of North Lincoln Avenue in North Center. During this incident, which occurred around 2:47 a.m., the burglars shattered the store’s front glass, made off with both an ATM and a cash register, and fled in a dark-colored SUV. The estimated loss from this burglary was reported to be close to $10,000.
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