Bucktown Residents Blame Lack Of Security Along Bloomindale Trail For Vandalism
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's not what anyone wants to see when they walk to their car in the morning, but several Bucktown residents found shattered windshields and glass all over the street.
Some residents blame a lack of security along the Bloomingdale Trail, reports CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez.
Maraela Vargas says a rock smashed through her windshield while she was parked on Paulina at Bloomindale in Bucktown overnight.
"It is bad damage to have to have a whole back window replaced," said Vargas.
The Honda across the street had a smashed sunroof and dents from a thrown tree branch. A resident snapped a picture of a badly damaged Lexus as well.
He says vandals have struck before.
"It's pretty much the wild west," said resident John Knoerle.
He says they use this old stretch of elevated railroad tracks, called the Bloomindale Trail, from which to launch bottles and rocks.
"People use it to jog and bike sometimes during the day, but punks come out after dark and that's when it gets iffy," said Knoerle. "As it stands now there's nothing to keep anyone from jumping up the wall and climbing up to the trail where gangbangers and thugs pretty much do whatever they want."
Last year, the mayor announced plans to convert the tracks into a 2.7 mile long park, with bike and jogging paths.
"Basically we'd like to see police patrolling up there every once in awhile, that's really all we're asking for," said Knoerle.
"The city is doing absolutely nothing. we call the cops and they won't even climb up there on the tracks to investigate," said resident Daniel Vranki.
CBS 2 reached out to Chicago Police to ask how that area is patrolled and didn't hear back, although Alderman Scott Waguespack's office says police do monitor the tracks above ground.
