In an overnight spectacle of brazen thievery, a Jeep careened into a business on Chicago's South Side, marking the first in a pair of "crash-and-grab" burglaries. Around 3:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Chicago Police were called to Save Big Food Mart in the 1900 block of East 95th Street, where the establishment's front doors had been demolished by a vehicle, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Officers arrived to discover an inescapable trail of destruction with no suspects in sight. The business was empty when the Jeep, now a makeshift battering ram, shattered its entrance. Details of the pilfered goods remain unclear, as no arrests have been made at this time and investigations continue.
Not two hours later, another establishment, Lyon's Beverage Express, located in the 9000 block of Ashland Avenue, was victim to a similar crime. A report by WLS-TV stated that suspects rammed an SUV into the liquor store, looted some items, and left the Jeep behind. The culprits escaped in a separate SUV, believed to be a white Jeep, maneuvering northbound. Unlike the initial incident, this event left behind a vehicle — possibly a critical clue to their identities.
The Chicago Police Department has not confirmed if the two incidents are connected. Even so, a pattern of brute force entries into businesses has emerged on the South Side, seemingly carried out by individuals with scant regard for subtlety or the rule of law.
No individuals were reported harmed during the series of break-ins.
