Car battery thieves hit 6 Chicago neighborhoods: police

Police are alerting residents in the Portage Park, Irving Park, West Ridge, Uptown, Edgewater and Austin neighborhoods on the North and West Sides after a rash of car battery thefts have been reported.

In each instance, the victims parked near their homes. When they returned, they discovered the battery had been stolen, according to a community alert from Chicago police.

The thefts occurred:

  • Between 10 p.m. March 6 and 6 a.m. March 7 in the 5100 block of West Waveland Avenue;
  • Between 6 p.m. March 6 and 7:45 a.m. March 7 in the 4600 block of North Kostner Avenue;
  • About 1 a.m., March 8 in the 4300 block of North Whipple Street;
  • About 6:15 a.m., March 13 in the 6100 block of North Campbell Avenue;
  • Between 10:08 p.m. March 12 and 8:52 a.m. March 13 in the 800 block of West Lawrence Avenue;
  • Between 7:35 p.m. March 12 and 6:35 a.m. March 13 in the 5200 block of North Magnolia Avenue;
  • Between 8:25 p.m. March 12 and 1:06 p.m. March 13 in the 5200 block of North Magnolia Avenue;
  • Between 9 p.m. March 13 and 7:30 a.m. March 14 in the 5600 block of North Wayne Avenue;
  • Between 7 p.m. March 20 and 7:30 a.m. March 21 in the 4800 block of West Roscoe Street;
  • About noon, March 21 in the 5800 block of West Byron Street;
  • About 2:26 a.m., March 21 in the 4900 block of W. Roscoe Street;
  • About 9 p.m., March 21 in the 2000 block of North New England Avenue;
  • About 4 p.m., March 21 in the 1900 block of North Normandy Avenue; and
  • About 5 a.m., March 22 in the 1600 block of North Nashville Avenue.

No description of the suspect or suspects is available, police said.

Anyone with information should call Area North detectives at 312-744-8263.