NEWS FLASH
CHICAGO (CHICAGO URBAN DAILY)— Eight South Side storefronts are sweeping up glass this morning after a weekend of smash-and-grab burglaries, and business owners say they’re fed up.
Chicago police are investigating break-ins at five businesses along 75th Street in the 200 to 500 blocks early Monday morning — roughly between 3:30 and 5 a.m. Among the targets: Soul Veg City, Nadia’s Beauty Salon, Paris Cleaners and Flowers First. Cash registers were stolen from at least three of them. At Soul Veg City, surveillance video shows a suspect breaking in, grabbing the cash register — and a slice of cake — before running east on 75th Street. At Nadia’s, surveillance images captured one of the suspects, though the owner says the thieves left empty-handed, leaving behind damage and a mess.
The weekend started worse for Bronzeville. Three businesses along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive — Bronzeville Soul, Hair Experts Bronzeville and Peach’s Restaurant — were hit within a few hours early Sunday. Bronzeville Soul owner Mario Coleman says the thieves stole the register, wrecked the point-of-sale system and damaged food. It was the second burglary at his shop in about a year. At Hair Experts, owner Nicholas Byrd says burglars broke through the glass, ransacked the shop and stole expensive equipment. Peach’s Restaurant was damaged badly enough to stay closed for days.
Ald. William Hall (6th) called an emergency meeting for 75th Street business owners Tuesday morning at Soul Veg City, with Chicago police and local Special Service Area partners invited. Owners say they want more police presence — and are talking about bars on windows and doors and more security officers through the SSA.
No arrests have been announced. Area Two detectives are investigating.
Eight businesses, one weekend, zero answers. South Side owners build community block by block — the least the city can do is protect the block.
Stay tuned to Chicago Urban Daily for updates on this developing story.
Reported by Chicago Urban Daily News. Visit chicagourbandailynews.com for updates.
