The Chicago Police Department has issued a community alert to Wicker Park residents regarding a series of recent residential burglaries, specifically targeting electric bicycles stored in garages. The notice, originally published on Friday, informs the community of the burglaries occurring within the 14th District (Shakespeare).
According to the Chicago Police Department, the burglaries were reported on the 2000 Block of West Churchill St on May 11, the 2100 Block of West Moffat St on May 12, and the 1700 Block of North Wood St on May 18, all taking place during the overnight hours. The perpetrator has managed to gain entry into garages by compromising their main or side doors. Once inside, they proceed to quickly remove locks from the electric bicycles and make their escape using the same point of entry to carry out the high-value thefts.
The suspect has so far eluded capture and has been described as a male with a full facial covering, with no further details (NFD) available at this time. The Chicago Police Department urge residents to "be aware of your surroundings and unfamiliar or suspicious people in your area" and recommend several security measures such as the installation of video surveillance and ensuring that all exterior gates and interior windows and doors are properly secured.
The community alert also advises residents not to attempt to directly engage or confront the offenders, as this could potentially lead to injury. Instead, they should "call 911 immediately if you are a victim or witness to a crime and provide a detailed description of the offender(s) and involved vehicles," ensuring that any existing surveillance equipment is operational and recording, as stated by the Chicago Police Department.
