In a rapid spate of crime, Highland Park has been hit with a rash of burglaries, with nine businesses targeted in a mere 30-minute period, officials stated. A group of five assailants had their sights set on these establishments, breaking through front doors or windows in their cash-grab attempt; this according to officials who informed NBC Chicago.
Highland Park Police Department, which is currently conducting an investigation, found that the crime spree unfolded at around 3:03 a.m., although the first alarm didn't trigger until 3:24 a.m. and not long after the burglars, they were linked to a similar offense in nearby Deerfield, using a vehicle confirmed to be stolen. The spate of break-ins spanned both downtown Highland Park and the crossroads business district along Skokie Valley Road, with businesses such as Dairy Queen, Jimmy Johns, and Michael's Grill & Salad Bar being among the hit list, as reported by NBC Chicago and corroborated by CBS News.
The community response provided a mix of determination and support in the face of these crimes; Michael's Grill & Salad Bar took to Facebook to declare their resilience and urged the community to buttress the affected local businesses with continued patronage, stating, "Now more than ever, let's come together as a community to show our support. Shop local, dine out, and help our businesses recover. Michael's will be OPEN today—stop by and show your love!", as CBS News relayed.
Despite the breaches, business owners like Ryan Gamperl project a forward-moving attitude, with Gamperl telling CBS News, "We're moving forward already. I'm not going to dwell on this in any sort of way. Our community is resilient," he shared his experience of racing to the scene upon receiving a call from the police about the heist and the determination of the community.
