It took a masked burglar barely ten seconds to hit Boba Heaven in the Scottsdale shopping center on Cicero Avenue early Monday, snatch the cash register and bolt. The smash-and-grab came just before 5 a.m. and was one of three break-ins at the strip mall that morning, with a Wing Stop and a taco restaurant also getting hit. Owner Omee Abbasi said the plaza has been targeted repeatedly and expects repairs to top $1,000.
Video shows quick grab and getaway
According to ABC7 Chicago, surveillance footage shows a single masked suspect sprint into the shop, grab the register and run back out while accomplices wait in nearby vehicles. ABC7 Chicago also reports the suspects used a silver sedan to smash through the front door before fleeing within minutes. Chicago police are reviewing the footage as part of their investigation.
Police tie the crew to a wave of Southwest Side break-ins
Chicago police say the same crew has been working the Southwest Side since early July and is linked to at least 14 burglaries across Garfield Ridge, Gage Park, Archer Heights and West Lawn. A department alert cited by Patch describes suspects splitting into two vehicles, often Hyundais or Kias, then smashing doors or windows, grabbing registers and taking off. Officers are urging businesses to hang on to any surveillance footage and report suspicious activity.
Owner: employee closed shop, left cash inside
Boba Heaven owner Omee Abbasi told ABC7 Chicago he usually clears out the drawer at night, but an employee handled closing instead of him or his partner that evening and left cash inside. Abbasi, who has run the business for about three years, pointed to earlier smash-and-grabs at the same plaza. "Last time it was four but it wasn't us," he said, adding that this round of damage will be costly.
Local crime pattern fits larger statewide spike
The quick, targeted hits line up with a broader wave of early-morning smash-and-grabs. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation found more than 500 burglaries at video-gaming locations statewide as of June 22, with more than $1.5 million stolen. Owners and police say crews often go straight for cash registers and other easy cash targets instead of merchandise.
How to report tips
Chicago police are asking anyone with information to contact CPD Area One detectives at 312-747-8384 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com, using reference number P26-1-062B BA, according to an alert covered by Patch. Business owners are being urged to empty registers before closing, secure doors and provide any relevant footage to investigators.
