Burglars wearing all black and facemasks are on a spree, striking businesses in the 11th and 15th Districts of Chicago, as reported by the Chicago Police Department. According to police, the offenders are gaining entry by overcoming security gates and breaking through glass windows or doors. Once inside, they target cash registers and ATM machines, either hauling the machines away or cracking them open to steal the cash inside.
The first burglary took place on the 5200 block of W. Chicago at the cusp of dawn, approximately 5:17 a.m. on June 27, 2024. The second, a narrow timeframe between the evening of June 28, and the morning of June 29 occurred on the 3900 block of W. Monroe, as per the Chicago Police Department. Both incidents share a brazen method, two African American male suspects are involved, and it seems that darkness provides these individuals, the shroud they operate.
Community businesses are now under alert, urged by the authorities to keep an eye out for suspicious activities and individuals with just noticeable physical traits such as scars, limps, or distinctive dental features. The police stress, "Never resist a robbery. Value your life over any and all property," as stated by the Chicago Police Department.
Witness engagement, however, could provide crucial leads. The CPD encourages anyone approached by witnesses to obtain their contact information but remembers, never to engage with the assailants. In a steady cadence of instruction, the police insist upon the immediate dialing of 9-1-1, staying put when safe, and keeping the crime scene untainted by well-meaning but potentially evidence-erasing hands.
