An early-morning burglar turned Mariscos El Abuelo y Yo, a Mexican seafood restaurant in Brighton Park, into a mess on Thursday, ripping out the in-house ATM and leaving shattered glass and extensive damage in its wake. Police say the thief pried the machine loose, then took off in an unknown direction. The restaurant was empty at the time, and Wentworth Area detectives are now handling the case.
According to CBS Chicago, the break-in happened at about 4:05 a.m. at the restaurant on the 3700 block of South Kedzie Avenue, and the ATM was removed from inside the building. As of Thursday morning, no arrests had been made, and detectives were still processing the scene and the damage.
Police Say Thefts May Be Linked Citywide
Chicago police have warned that crews are targeting small businesses to steal ATMs, and officers believe the same group may be tied to as many as nine similar burglaries across the city this month, including incidents in Lincoln Park, Rogers Park, and Uptown, NBC Chicago reported. In one West Town case cited by the outlet, a store owner said thieves ripped an ATM from its foundation and left him wondering if he could keep his doors open after repeated break-ins. “I can’t take much more,” the owner told NBC, describing both the financial hit and the emotional strain.
Small Businesses Left Picking Up The Pieces
Business owners say that even when an ATM does not hold a large haul, the fallout can be brutal: smashed glass, emergency board-ups, repair bills, and lost trade that can rattle neighborhood restaurants and corner stores. Some have reported changes in weight, such as bolting machines to concrete, shifting units farther inside behind counters, or pulling ATMs entirely for now to cut the risk of another hit. Detectives continue to investigate the Brighton Park burglary and have not announced any arrests.
