The Chicago Police Department has issued a business alert following a series of commercial burglaries affecting various neighborhoods across the city. Multiple incidents have been reported where offenders broke into businesses by shattering front doors or windows using sledgehammers and pry bars before fleeing with stolen goods.
In a statement obtained by the Chicago Police Department, businesses in the Town Hall, Near North, Deering, Chicago Lawn, Rogers Park, West Town, Logan Square, and Uptown neighborhoods have been specifically targeted. Offenders described as wearing black ski masks, black hooded sweatshirts, and black pants have hit two locations particularly hard, on the 2300 block of N Clark St. on January 12, 2026, around 3:00 AM in Lincoln Park, wielding in their hands the tools to do so.
These crimes occurred over a span of dates and locations, starting with an initial break-in on January 12, 2026, and continuing through January 24. Areas impacted include Lake View East, Lincoln Park, Brighton Park, Armour Square, Rogers Park, West Town, Logan Square, and Uptown. The series of burglaries has incited calls for heightened vigilance and security measures among local business communities.
Police are advising business owners to keep their properties well-lit and to secure all doors and windows, repairing any damage immediately. In the event of witnessing suspicious activity or being a victim of such crimes, individuals are urged to contact the authorities and provide any available video surveillance to aid investigations. Stolen items include money, cash registers, ATMs, and merchandise, fled away in vehicles by offenders from the scene.
