Early Wednesday morning, an ATM was forcefully removed from the Urban Pantry store in the South Loop area, as reported by CBS News Chicago. Around 4 a.m., three individuals executed a burglary at the convenience store located in the 700 block of South Clark Street, managing to pry open the door and extract the ATM containing undisclosed funds, fleeing southbound in a gray SUV.
In a strikingly similar vein, a second ATM was stolen early Thursday morning after suspects crashed a car into a South Loop currency exchange, according to a video obtained by ABC7 Chicago. The incident occurred around 6:22 a.m. at Jefferson and Roosevelt, where the assailants used a Jeep Cherokee to shatter the storefront's large windows, allowing them to snatch the heavy machine and load it into the trunk of an SUV before making their escape, leaving behind the Jeep.
Eyewitnesses reported their disbelief at the brazen act of the robbers who acted in plain sight, indifferent to the onlookers. A customer expressed concerns to ABC7 Chicago, "It's like at what point are citizens going to be kept safe, because what if someone got hurt from that?" The aftermath of the theft left shattered glass and a growing sense of vulnerability in what was perceived as a safe neighborhood. Chicago's 28th Ward Alderman Jason Ervin informed the community that his office is working to install safety barriers at local businesses to prevent future incidents of a similar nature.
Meanwhile, the owners of the appropriated Jeep Grand Cherokee, which was found to contain child safety seats, were able to reclaim their vehicle from the scene. Local authorities have yet to apprehend any suspects and informed that except for property damage, no injuries were associated with these incidents.
