Burglars were caught on camera breaking into businesses along 95th Street again early Wednesday morning as several storefronts remain boarded up from previous thefts.
More than 80 smash and grabs have been reported across the city and neighboring suburbs in the past ten days, according to a Chicago alderman.
Surveillance video from JoJo the Balloon Lady shows a person wearing a mask running off with their cash register in the middle of the night.
“I was just devastated, I’m like, how can someone do something like this,” said Dawn Storey, “We spread love, joy, happiness, peace, actually there’s a sign on the window that says peace.”
Storey said her mom owns the balloon and flower shop that has been around for more than 30 years on 95th Street.
“What was the purpose of doing something like this,” she said. “It has impacted not only the businesses, but the community as well.”
Police said ten stores on 95th Street have been targeted since last Thursday. Several of them in the Beverly neighborhood.
“We’re just trying to make a living,” said Santricia Strickland, owner of Essential Creations. “It’s very hard to do that when people are destroying your property.”
Small business owners told NBC Chicago they want to see more patrols after hours. The local alderman agrees, but said they’re facing a big challenge right now.
“More resources have been directed in the overnight hours, but we’re stretched pretty thin,” said 19th Ward Alderman Matt O’Shea. “We’re short officers, we’re considerably short officers here in the 22nd district Morgan Park station.”
The alderman believes members of the same crew may be responsible for the recent break ins.
“We have a real concern our small business community has been under fire with multiple break ins,” he said. “The criminal damage to their business could be the difference between keeping their doors open or closing.”
Johnnie Akons, another business owner affected, said the crook in his case got away with a pair of clippers from his barbershop on 95th Street.
“These break-ins have been like all over,” he said. “It’s kinda like impossible to have police on every block.”
Akons is looking to add shutters to his storefront and wants the criminals held accountable in the court of law.
“More laws need to be done with it though, you catch someone doing something like this, something needs to happen,” he said.
Chicago police did not respond to our request for comment when asked about more patrols and the shortage of officers.
