Gunman threatens Jefferson Park resident inside garage on Winnemac; tools stolen from dozens of vehicles in 16th District
A Jefferson Park resident was threatened by a gunman while inside his garage at about 5 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 13, in the 5300 block of West Winnemac Avenue, possibly as part of a crime spree in which construction tools are being stolen from parked vehicles, according to Chicago police.
In recent weeks in the 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District, there have been about 30 reports of break-ins to vans and pickup trucks in which a window is smashed and constriction equipment is stolen.
In the Winnemac incident the resident reported that he was inside his garage when the overhead garage door started to open and he saw a black sedan with two or three male occupants drive up, police said. One of the men pointed a handgun before they fled, police said.
The man reported that he returned to his vehicle parked on the street and discovered the rear driver side window was shattered, and various tools, valued at $6,000, were missing, police said.
Police have said that thieves will sometimes steal a garage door opener from a vehicle and then drive through a nearby alley to see if it will open one of the garages.
The assailants in the Winnemac incident were described as Black males, police said.
The Chicago Police Department Area 5 Bureau of Detectives has issued a community alert regarding thefts from vehicles in the 16th District.
Thefts were reported between July 23 and 24 in the 5200 block of West Foster Avenue, on July 24 in the 5300 block of North Natchez Avenue, from July 25 to 26, in the 4900 block of North Neva Avenue, and on July 26 in the 4600 block of North Melvina Avenue, according to police.
Also, from July 25 to 26, in the 6200 block of West Rosedale Avenue, the 4500 block of North Laporte Avenue on July 26, and in the 3800 block of North Olcott Avenue between July 27 and 28, police said.
Thefts were also reported between July 27 and 28 in the 7500 block of West Irving Park Road, July 30 to 31 in the 5500 block of North Mango Avenue, on July 31 in the 5400 block of North Lovejoy Avenue, the 6100 block of West Seminole Street, and 5800 block of North Merrimac Avenue.
Also, on Aug. 2 in the 4300 block of North Meade Avenue, on Aug. 7 in the 5200 block of West Patterson Avenue, Aug 7 and 8 in the 5700 block of West Giddings Street and in the 4300 block of North Monitor Avenue, police said.
Also, at about 3 a.m. on Aug. 8, in the 5300 block of North Northwest Highway, between 6 p.m. on Aug. 10 and 7:45 a.m. the following morning in the 6300 block of North Mobile Avenue, and be tween Aug. 10 and 11 in the 6300 block of North Natoma Avenue, police said.
Also, at about 3 a.m. in the 7400 block of West Catalpa Avenue, and at 3:30 a.m. in the 6100 block of North Newark Avenue, both on Aug. 11.
Additional break-ins were reported in the 5300 block of West Montrose Avenue and 5000 block of North Delphia Avenue
The vehicles used by the offenders have been described as a white Audi hatchback and a dark sedan, police said.
Anyone with any information about these crimes is asked to call Area 5 detectives at 312-746-7394.
