CHICAGO (CBS) — Some Lincoln Park residents are sounding the alarm about home burglaries, some of which occurred in broad daylight, noting a disturbing pattern of similarities in the crimes and wondering why Chicago police haven’t yet publicly connected the dots.
With the holidays quickly approaching, many Lincoln Parkers want others to be aware and stay safe as they get ready to travel.
One victim of a series of burglaries was targeted because of Thanksgiving: the burglars were in and out in minutes.
“Within two minutes of us leaving, the perpetrators came in,” she said. “Obviously they had been watching and were moving very quickly.”
The woman does not want to reveal her name, but wants to share her experience as a burglary victim to serve as a warning to others.
“They were in and out of our house within seven minutes,” she said. “They walked past our bedroom closet and took all our jewelry and a lot of my wallets; they opened all our drawers and all the cupboards.”
She’s not alone. Photos and videos shared by other Lincoln Park homeowners burglarized in recent months show luxury bags and shoes stolen and dresser drawers torn out. The floor and wall of one victim were seriously damaged when a heavy safe was thrown down a flight of stairs.
In both cases, a group of at least three people wearing masks and hoods approached the houses through the alley and broke in through back doors.
Each burglary occurred in the afternoon or early evening hours.
“I think you go through the five stages of grief. I think it’s a lot of frustration because this seems to be an ongoing problem in the city,” the woman said.
Data from the Chicago Police Department shows that Area 3, which covers most of the North Side, saw more than 2,100 burglaries this year — a 6% increase from a year ago.
The four victims who spoke to CBS News Chicago about recent burglaries all live in Area 3.
“I feel like this is Fort Knox now… and that’s unfortunately how you have to live in the future,” the woman said.
So far, Chicago police have not publicly linked these burglaries or issued a community alert, which is typically triggered when there is a recurring pattern of a crime.
Charlie de Mar
