Businesses across several Chicago neighborhoods are on high alert following a string of burglaries that have hit the Edgewater, Uptown, and West Ridge areas. The Chicago Police Department has issued a warning about these incidents occurring within the jurisdiction of the 20th (Lincoln) and 24th (Rogers Park) Districts. According to the police, an unnamed suspect has been targeting businesses, forcibly entering them in the early hours of the morning and making off with cash registers along with U.S. currency inside.
The burglaries, detailed in a recent public notice by the Chicago Police Department, follow a consistent modus operandi where the perpetrator smashes or forces the front doors of the businesses with a blunt object. The incidents have taken place across numerous blocks in the aforementioned neighborhoods at varying times, including the 6300 block of N. Claremont, N. Artesian, the 1100 block of W. Granville, Bryn Mawr, and Argyle, with the earliest event reported on December 14, 2025, and the most recent occurring on January 9.
There is an ongoing investigation, and authorities are on the lookout for an African American male, estimated to be between 16 and 25 years old. He is described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark pants, black shoes, along with a black face mask and gloves. The Chicago Police Department has also made available video footage of the suspect and encourages the public to come forward with any information that may be pertinent to these cases.
To ensure personal safety and to aid in preventing such crimes, the police department advises residents and businesses to remain vigilant against any suspicious activities. They recommend taking note of any individual who looks out of place or appears to be making conversation under questionable pretenses. "If you are confronted by an assailant, remain calm," the notice states. Additionally, in the event of becoming a victim, the police advise against touching anything and to contact them immediately. They also stress the importance of witnesses either remaining at the crime scene when possible or, at the very least, providing contact details.
Anyone with information about the burglaries or the suspect is encouraged to reach out to the police department, and updates on the investigation are expected to follow as further evidence comes to light.
