Illegal street takeover causes chaos in Hometown
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some neighbors woke up to chaos outside their doors early Sunday morning in Hometown. Several cars met up in the south suburban town near Oak Lawn in what police are calling an illegal street takeover.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray spoke with some neighbors who say they have had enough.
What is supposed to be a mosque parking lot was anything but that Sunday morning. Police say several cars met up there. Neighbors say they have seen this happen in other areas, but they never thought in would happen in their Hometown.
"It's just destruction," said neighbor Patrick Hannan. "It was crazy. People jumping up and down on their trucks. It was a mad house. It was crazy. I called the police, and then I broke out the phone."
Hannan took video of people jumping on cars and revving up engines, doing donuts and drifting.
Hometown Police say this happened in the Mercy Mosque parking lot near Kostner and Beck, which is surrounded by nothing but homes.
"I don't know what to think of it, but just wow," said neighbor Jim Bocock. "Because I've seen it on TV before in other places, but this close to my house? Holy... wow!"
Hometown Police say about 70 cars blocked neighborhood streets, preventing officers from getting through. Chief Louis Dominguez Jr. says they did donuts in the parking lot.
"It was late at night and there was not a lot of people out, but nevertheless, it was disturbing," Dominguez said.
Dominguez says the Chicago Police Department's Eighth District just invited them and surrounding agencies Thursday morning in reference to street drifting.
"Chicago has a lot of intelligence on this situation," he said. "We have a few plans in the works to try to help us out, being a smaller agency. So hopefully we can continue to keep the neighborhood safe."
But when Bocock and Hannan step outside of their homes, they'll have a distinct reminder of what happened in their neighborhood.
"A lot of black circles that shouldn't be here," Bocock said.
"Stay out of our backyard. Go home," said Hannan.
Hometown Police say no one was arrested Saturday night, but with neighbors taking several videos, they're hoping that will help out with their investigation.