Thief targets coins from laundry, vending machines on Chicago's South Side

By Will Hager
Published  August 27, 2025 10:45am CDT
FOX 32 Chicago
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The Brief

    • Chicago police are warning residents after a string of burglaries in Oakland and Bronzeville apartment buildings.
    • The incidents happened multiple times in August on South Lake Park Avenue, East 41st Place and East 43rd Street. 
    • Police described the suspect as a Black man, 25 to 35 years old, 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-9 tall, weighing 160 to 175 pounds.

CHICAGO - Police are warning residents about a string of recent burglaries targeting laundry and vending machines in apartment buildings in South Side neighborhoods.

What we know:

In each case, the burglar forced his way into a building before breaking into vending and laundry machines to steal coins, according to a community alert from Chicago police.

The burglaries happened at the following times and locations:

  • 3600 block of South Lake Park Avenue between Aug. at 5:30 p.m. and Aug. 6 at noon
  • 3600 block of South Lake Park Avenue on Aug. 9 at 5:30 a.m.
  • 3600 block of South Lake Park Avenue on Aug. 10 at 5:20 a.m. 
  • 1000 block of East 41st Place on Aug. 11 at 4:20 a.m.
  • 1000 block of East 41st Place on Aug. 15 at 5:20 a.m. 
  • 400 block of East 43rd Street on Aug. 23 at 6:30 a.m. 
  • 1000 block of East 41st Place on Monday at 9 a.m. 

The suspect was described as a Black man, 25 to 35 years old, about 5-foot-4 to 5-foot-9 and weighing between 160 and 175 pounds, police said.

What you can do:

Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at (312) 747-8380.

The Source: The information in this report came from the Chicago Police Department.

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