CHICAGO, IL — Chicago police have issued an alert after dozens of car burglaries were reported this month in the Near South Side and South Commons neighborhoods. In two of the cases, police said suspects pulled out guns when vehicle owners confronted them.
The burglaries were reported between Sept. 1 and Sept. 27. Police said the targets were locked vehicles parked either on the street or in non-residential parking garages, and that a group of two to four suspects damaged the cars and, in some cases, stole items from inside.
Investigators did not release a detailed suspect description. They said the people involved appeared to be between 17 and 30 years old and wore dark clothing and facial coverings.
Most of the burglaries were clustered around the same streets and parking areas
The list of incidents shows repeated burglaries along Wabash Avenue, Indiana Avenue, King Drive, Prairie Avenue, and nearby streets. Police included several blocks in the 1600, 2000, 2300, 2700, and 3000 ranges, along with addresses near Michigan, State, Dearborn, Calumet, and Cullerton.
Some of the reported incidents happened minutes apart or overlapped in the same area, suggesting a concentrated pattern of activity. Police listed multiple burglaries on Sept. 9, Sept. 11, and Sept. 19, with several more on other dates throughout the month.
The alert covers both isolated street parking and garages, showing that the suspects were not limited to one type of location. In several cases, the burglaries took place overnight, but police also listed incidents during daylight and evening hours.
Two incidents escalated when owners confronted the suspects
Police said two of the burglaries turned more dangerous when the suspects were confronted by the vehicle owners. In those cases, the suspects allegedly pulled guns, adding an armed threat to what began as property crimes.
No injuries were mentioned in the alert, and police did not say whether the suspects fired the weapons. The warning focuses on the pattern of car break-ins and the risk created when owners interrupt the suspects in progress.
The department did not identify any arrests tied to the burglaries. It also did not say whether investigators believe the same group is responsible for all of the incidents.
Police say the burglaries happened at different times of day and night
The incidents began on Sept. 1 with a burglary reported in the 1400 block of South Wabash at 4 a.m. Other early cases followed in the 2600 block of South King Drive, the 2100 block of South Indiana, and the 2000 block of South Michigan during the first week of the month.
Later reports included cases in the 1600 block of South Wabash, where police listed three incidents at 12:36 a.m. on Sept. 9, and separate burglaries in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of South Wabash at 3:06 a.m. on Sept. 11. Police also listed a group of incidents near South Wabash, South State, and South Indiana around Sept. 18 and Sept. 19.
The final incident in the alert was reported in the 0-100 block of East Cermak at 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 27.
The alert points to a broad stretch of the Near South Side
The locations named in the warning span a broad section of the Near South Side and South Commons area. That includes streets closer to the central part of the neighborhood as well as blocks farther east and south, with repeated mentions of Wabash, Indiana, King, Prairie, and State.
Police listed incidents from Sept. 1 through Sept. 27, which suggests the pattern continued across much of the month rather than being confined to a single night or weekend. The department’s warning appears aimed at reminding drivers to remain alert wherever they park in the area.
While the alert does not describe a single method for all of the burglaries, it does make clear that the suspects were damaging vehicles and entering them after finding them locked and unattended.
Area Three detectives are asking for information
Chicago police said anyone with information should contact Area Three Detectives. The alert does not provide a phone number in the text released with the burglary list.
For residents and visitors, the notice underscores the continuing risk of car burglaries in busy urban parking areas, especially overnight and in garages where vehicles may be left for long periods. Police did not say whether additional patrols or surveillance measures are being added in response.
The department’s warning is meant to help people recognize the pattern and report anything connected to the break-ins. It also serves as a record of where and when the burglaries were reported throughout September.
