Gladstone Park, Jefferson Park businesses burglarized on Chicago’s NW Side

by BRIAN NADIG

Multiple commercial burglaries were reported in the early hours of Tuesday, Nov. 26, on the North and Northwest sides, including at least four in the 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District.

The burglarized businesses in the district were Lucky Phone at 5029 W. Montrose Ave., Rex Tavern at 4933 N. Milwaukee Ave., Phil’s Pizza D’Oro at 5802 N. Milwaukee Ave., and Zymi Bakery at 5806 N. Milwaukee Ave., according to police.

A cash register stolen from the phone shop reportedly was found later on the South Side, police said. In another incident, items from inside the business were found on the sidewalk after the intruders had left, police said.

Several of burglaries occurred between 2:30 and 3 a.m. and involved at least three offenders, who exited a vehicle and then entered the business after breaking glass on a front door, police said. said.

Numerous burglaries have been reported on Milwaukee Avenue and Northwest Highway in this district this year. The offenders are often wearing masks — and covered head to toe, making it difficult to identify them — and driving stolen vehicles.

At a recent business safety seminar, police told merchants that officers will not usually chase fleeing offenders involved in property crimes and that the district has a burglary team which reviews surveillance footage and assists detectives in their follow-up investigations.

Businesses were urged to keep registers unlocked and empty when closed and to consider using windows with a film coating that helps keep them from shattering into small pieces. In a recent incident in Gladstone Park, thieves did not gain entry to a store because the glass was protected, police said.

Several area businesses have been burglarized more than once in recent months. Up to $15,000 has been reported stolen in some instances, but usually only a small amount of cash is taken. In some instances ATM machines also have been stolen, and gaming machines were broken into.

Overall the number of reported burglaries, including commercial and residential, in the 16th District is down 4 percent this year compared to the same period in 2023, when there were 291 break-ins. 280 have reported this year through Nov. 24.

(photo by Bill Rose)

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