For the third time in roughly two years, Prohibition THCafe’s South Loop storefront has been smashed open in an overnight break-in that left the business boarded up and facing tens of thousands of dollars in damage, the co-owner said.
Surveillance video from early Wednesday shows four people shattering the front of the State Street shop, then turning sledgehammers on two gaming machines and grabbing the cash inside, according to the co-owner. The crew walked out through the broken entrance carrying empty cash boxes, leaving staff to patch the glass ahead of a planned reopening.
Chicago police said the burglary happened just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday on South State Street near East 21st Street, and detectives are investigating, according to ABC7 Chicago. Surveillance reviewed by reporters shows four people swinging sledgehammers at two game machines, stuffing cash into bags, then running out through the shattered storefront. Video and witness accounts show the suspects fleeing the area in a white car.
"I see all the glass and I see the real damage to my property and that's when it really hit you the most," co-owner Tyrone Muhummad told reporters. Muhummad, who has publicly described serving 21 years in prison and now works as a violence interrupter and an independent Senate candidate, said repairs will cost about $50,000, not counting the stolen cash, and that this was the third break-in at the location in two years. He added that the cafe will host a grand reopening on May 1, according to ABC7 Chicago.
South Loop Storefront And Community Role
Prohibition THCafe’s South Loop flagship lists its address as 2113 S. State St. and advertises a 21+ consumption lounge that hosts pop-ups, live music, and weekend events, according to Prohibition THCafe. The owner says the cafe’s community mission, including hiring locally and violence-interruption work, is a key reason he plans to push ahead with repairs and the scheduled reopening.
What Comes Next
Chicago police are investigating the break-in, and local leaders say they are watching for any follow-up arrests. Muhummad told reporters he will move forward with the May 1 reopening and hopes customers and neighbors will return once the storefront is repaired.
