Serial Burglar Charged After Month-Long Investigation
After a month-long investigation following the release of surveillance images by the Chicago Police Department, authorities have charged a nine-time convicted burglar with a series of laundry machine burglaries on the North Side.
Jose Clark, 43, who is currently on parole for burglary and facing a pending retail theft case, was identified by multiple individuals as the individual seen in the surveillance images released on April 27.
According to prosecutors, Clark is accused of targeting residential laundry rooms, disabling surveillance cameras, and removing lightbulbs to avoid detection. Video evidence allegedly shows him overturning laundry machines and shaking them to dislodge money. He is also accused of prying open cash boxes and stealing up to $250 per incident.
The burglaries took place at multiple locations including the 2200 block of West Morse, the 7400 block of North Ridge, the 5900 block of North Kenmore, and the 6100 block of North Winthrop on various dates in March and April.
Judge Deidre Dyer has ordered Clark to be detained on four counts of burglary and two counts of tampering with a security system. In addition, he is being held on a parole violation warrant and for allegedly violating pretrial release conditions in a retail theft case at a Target store on North Sheridan.
Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections indicate that Clark has multiple prior burglary and burglary-related convictions dating back to 2007.
