
Chicago's North Side is reeling under a spate of break-ins with businesses on Lincoln Avenue being repeatedly hit by burglars. A plumbing and heating business at 4300 block of North Lincoln Avenue, Fettes Love and Sieben, was broken into for the third time in two months. The burglary occurred early Monday morning, and thieves made off with hand tools, pipe threaders, and power tools valued at over $100,000, as per the owner Scott Hoffman's word obtained by ABC7 Chicago.
The pattern persisted as several other businesses, including six in the nearby 4100 to 4700 blocks of North Lincoln Avenue, were ambushed by burglars between 1-2 a.m. Tuesday. Vandals smashed windows or glass doors in establishments such as Wild Goose Bar & Grill and Starbucks, reported Block Club Chicago. Market Square, another victim, suffered a loss of $200 snatched from the cash register.
"I can promise you we're gonna get hit again. This is just ridiculous," expressed a frustrated Hoffman, whose business was also invaded last Wednesday at 5 a.m. and January 18 at 6 a.m. During one of the break-ins, employees faced the terror of being held at gunpoint. Despite the distressing circumstances and outreach to city officials, Hoffman lamented the lack of decisive action to protect his century-old business, as stated in his communique with ABC7 Chicago.
Amid the distressing trend, Ald. Matt Martin (47th) has expressed his commitment to the affected businesses, pledging increased police presence and investigative efforts. Detectives have been scouring for video footage and other evidence, hoping to bring culprits to justice. In the instance of Wild Goose, general manager Elizabeth Salas recounted Tuesday's harrowing experience, remarking, "All they really did to us is tear out a point-of-service screen and threw it to the floor," according to an interview with Block Club Chicago. So far, no arrests have been made following these surges in crimes against local businesses.