A Crestwood bar that doubles as a gaming spot was hit early Thursday when a group of masked thieves smashed through the Patriot Pub and Gaming Parlor’s front doors and windows, then ripped cash from its gaming machines, the owner said. Surveillance video shared by the business shows extensive damage to multiple machines as the suspects arrive at work. The owner told local reporters this was the second time this month the bar has been targeted, and Crestwood police are investigating.
Video shows suspects smashing machines
As reported by ABC7 Chicago, the owner said the crew shattered the front doors and windows at about 4 a.m. Thursday. Photos and video supplied by the pub show what the owner described as up to eight masked suspects prying open machines and pulling out cash. According to ABC7, the business provided the footage directly to the station, and investigators had not released additional details publicly.
Business location and local records
The Patriot Pub and Gaming Parlor is listed at 14121 S. Cicero Ave., according to the Village of Crestwood business directory and the pub’s own website. The spot operates as a bar with gaming machines, the same setup that appears to be targeted in the surveillance video shared by the owner.
Similar break-ins across the South Side
The break-in comes amid a string of business burglaries on Chicago’s South and Far South sides this winter, with crews in some cases using vehicles and chains to tear doors off and haul away equipment, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Authorities have urged businesses to secure registers and gaming or ATMs after several incidents in which thieves specifically targeted cash. It is not yet known whether any of those crews are connected to the Crestwood burglary.
Police response and how to report tips
Crestwood police did not immediately release information about the Patriot Pub break-in, ABC7 Chicago reported, and the village’s police department lists a non-emergency line for tips on its website. In cases like this, investigators typically review surveillance footage and take witness statements, and local business owners said they hope the publicly shared video will help generate leads.
