Police Alert Residents to String of Local Burglaries

Police are warning Lincoln Park residents to keep their homes locked and well-lit to safeguard against an increase in local burglaries that's reportedly plagued the area this month.

Ald. Michele Smith (43rd Ward) and investigators from Chicago's 18th Police District, which covers part of Lincoln Park, recently issued an alert about the influx. Offenders, who had not yet been arrested as of Monday, are targeting homes at various times of the day, according to the alert.

The most recent burglary arrest in the area was of a South Side man who police say broke into a home Dec. 11 in the 2300 block of North Wayne. He spent that morning knocking on doors in the area to determine who wasn't home, according to the report, which was published on Lincoln Park Patch last week.  

That incident wasn't noted in the alderman's alert, however.

Police said burglars have targeted homes in the following areas of the neighborhood between Dec. 8 and 9:

• The 800 block of West Belden Avenue between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Dec. 4.
• The 400 block of West Belden Avenue between 4:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 5.
• The 1800 block of North Dayton Street at 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 7.
• The 2300 block of North Orchard Street between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. on Dec. 8-9.

Police say the four offenders are all between 20 and 25 years old. They were wearing black coats with hoods and were captured on security video during one of the above incidents, the alert said.

Residents should keep their outside lights on at night; report any suspicious activity immediately; keep their doors and windows locked; and immediately repair any broken windows, doors or locks. If you are a victim of a burglary, don't touch anything and call the cops immediately. If approached by a witness, ask for his or her contact information, police said.

If you have any information about these incidents, contact the Bureau of Detectives' Area Central at 312-747-8382. 

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