Three men threw a brick at a window at Alexandra Marks Jewelry in Wicker Park at about 2:45 a.m. Monday, but it did not break; they then came through, spending roughly a minute and a half grabbing dozens of silver and gold accessories off display before fleeing in a white sedan. Police say no one was hurt, and the owner is still tallying exactly how much was taken.
Chicago police said the break-in happened in the 1700 block of West Division Street, according to WGN-TV, which reported that the three men used empty backpacks and duffle bags to carry out the jewelry and left with the bags full; the window was shattered. Owner Alexandra Marks arrived at the store around 3 a.m. to find shattered glass and a trail of jewelry scattered across the floor. “It’s really sad,” she said, adding that the break-ins are frustrating for small-business owners and that small businesses are often the first to struggle when costs increase.
Marks told the station she is still determining how much merchandise was stolen, though she has estimated the retail value at a few thousand dollars. She said she has recovered some of the stolen inventory and cleaned up the store with help from her employees. She said she was thankful no employees were inside when the men broke in, and she hopes to reopen the store Tuesday.
A Store With One Prior Break-In Since 2018
Alexandra Marks Jewelry opened on Division Street in 2018 and had only been hit once before in that span, per WGN-TV’s reporting. This time, the thieves fled eastbound on Division Street, according to ABC7 Chicago, which confirmed the 2:45 a.m. timing and said police have made no arrests. ABC7’s report also notes that no one was hurt in the incident, matching what police told WGN-TV.
The Division Street break-in landed amid a string of business burglaries across the city. Univision reported that at least 17 business robberies were logged citywide in the five days leading up to the early morning of Nov. 9, and that the jewelry store’s loss, valued at more than $3,000 in merchandise, was among them. The outlet noted that authorities had not confirmed whether the recent incidents were connected to one another.
Jewelry Stores Across The City Have Been Targeted
Chicago police said separately that they were investigating a series of crash-and-grab burglaries at jewelry stores in Albany Park, Rogers Park, West Ridge and Avondale, the same report notes. In those cases, police said suspects crashed one vehicle into storefront glass, grabbed merchandise, and escaped in a second vehicle, with incidents reported on Oct. 20, 22 and 23.
One of those targets was Joyeria La Caridad on North Milwaukee Avenue in Avondale, where burglars crashed an Acura into the storefront at 5 a.m., went inside, stole items and fled in an SUV, according to CBS Chicago. No one was injured in that break-in either.
Small Businesses Bear The Cost Of A Citywide Spree
The financial toll has landed hardest on smaller operators. A separate burglary spree on Oct. 14 involved a group of three or four men who broke windows at at least 23 businesses across Portage Park, Avondale, Logan Square and Wicker Park, according to Block Club Chicago. The Crab Pad’s owner estimated her damage at more than $5,000; the owner said the burglars took “pennies,” and the outlet reported that they also took the cash register and computer. The restaurant had been hit once before, in 2023. Nearby, a break-in at the Avondale coffee shop Terra caused about $600 in damage even though nothing was taken.
The Chicago Police Department had already flagged the broader problem earlier this year, issuing a business alert in February covering commercial burglaries across ten districts citywide. For now, Marks is focused on getting her Division Street shop back open, hoping to reopen as soon as Tuesday while police continue investigating without any arrests announced.
