North Siders On Alert After Home Invasions
CHICAGO (CBS) - Police are warning residents of several north lakefront neighborhoods to lock their windows, after a string of robberies and burglaries.
As CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports, there have been at least four break-ins and home invasions, all of which were committed by thieves who gained entry through unlocked windows.
The most recent attack became violent. In the home invasion early Thursday in the 1300 block of West Barry Avenue, three robbers forced their way in through an unlocked window.
Once they made it inside, they woke up two men and a woman who were sleeping inside. A third man heard the commotion and hid in a closet.
The robbers tied up the two men and woman. One of the men was struck in the face and suffered minor abrasions, police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro said.
"One guy said he was hit in the face with a gun, but it wasn't hard; no marks on it," said building landlord Alan Slate. "They were sleeping at the time; it was sort of like a wake-up."
All the victims were in their 20s.
With the victims restrained, the burglars ransacked the apartment. They took cell phones, computers, and a 42-inch plasma screen TV.
The latest attack follows similar home invasions in the Near North, Belmont and Town Hall police districts. Altogether, the three districts cover an area bounded by Lawrence Avenue on the north, the Chicago River's main branch on the south, the river's north branch on the west and Lake Michigan on the east.
The addresses where the other home invasions happened were not specified.
All of the burglaries happened in the late night or early morning hours, police said.
The similarities of the crimes have prompted police to warn North Side residents to secure their windows.
They say if you have been victimized, you should notify your neighbors so they too can be on alert. Any suspicious activity should be reported immediately.
Slate says the robberies should serve as a wake-up call for the neighborhood.
"There's just 4 ounces of pressure on the trigger finger between armed robbery and murder," Slate said. "It could have been a lot worse."
If you see anyone who doesn't appear to belong in your building, you should call 911.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli and the Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
