Video from a Wicker Park electronic repair shop showed the moment a group of four individuals broke in early Friday morning and stole numerous items. NBC Chicago’s Courtney Sisk reports.
Video from a Wicker Park electronic repair shop showed the moment a group of four individuals broke in early Friday morning and stole numerous items.
The group pulled up around 3 a.m. in a black SUV, possibly a Jeep Cherokee according to police.
One of the suspects broke the glass door and all four entered, video showed. At least eight surveillance cameras caught them smashing glass show cases, taking laptops, phones, iPads and a register.
“I open up the cameras and see about four guys rummaging through the store breaking things, taking things," said Sam, the owner of eRepair on North Avenue. "I'm pissed. It's my livelihood."
Within two minutes, the thieves took off with thousands of dollars worth of products and left thousands more in damages. Sam noted that they didn't seem nervous. At one point, you can even hear them laughing on video.
"They’ve definitely done this before," he said. "One of the guys was saying 'grab this, do that.' One of them looked like a little kid - 13, 14 years old. What's he doing out there at 3 a.m.? It’s crazy."
Sam hopes city leaders and the community will do more to prevent these crimes.
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"Figure out why, what’s going on, why are these kids out there in the streets at 3 a.m. doing this," he said.
Just before the group got away in the SUV, a Chicago police squad car was seen on the video turning the corner and coming into close proximity of the getaway car. No one was in custody as of late Saturday night.
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An hour and a half later and one mile away, another attempted burglary broke out in Bucktown. Police radio said two men broke inside an overhead door and started shooting. The victim had a concealed-carry license and shot back.
The incident happened near a plumbing business on Elston and Webber Avenues.
Police have not said if the burglaries are connected. No one was in custody as of late Friday.
