South Side break-in spree targets 5 businesses, including Hyde Park coffee shops
South Side break-in spree targets 5 businesses, including Hyde Park coffee shops
Two Hyde Park coffee shops, Sip & Savor and Sweet Drip, were among five South Side businesses burglarized early Friday morning.
CHICAGO - Chicago police are investigating a string of overnight break-ins on the city's South Side.
Investigators say the thieves targeted four Hyde Park businesses — including two coffee shops near 53rd Street and Hyde Park Boulevard — and one business in Bronzeville.
On Friday, business owners were left to pick up the pieces and make repairs — but they tell FOX Chicago this will not slow them down.
Hyde Park business break-ins
What we know:
Between 4 and 5:08 a.m., police say a group of up to four masked offenders broke into businesses at the following addresses:
- 4800 block of S. Cottage Grove Ave. at 4:02 a.m.
- 1600 block of E. 53rd St. between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
- 5300 block of S. Hyde Park Blvd. at 4:53 a.m.
- 1500 block of E. 55th St. at 5:08 a.m.
- 1500 block of E. 55th St. at 5:08 a.m.
Sip & Savor, located at 5301 S. Hyde Park Blvd., and Sweet Drip, located at 1658 E. 53rd St., were among the targeted businesses. The burglaries at both coffee shops were captured on surveillance video.
According to Chicago police, the offenders broke the glass door of Sip & Savor around 4:53 a.m. Friday and stole a cash register before fleeing. The owner tells FOX Chicago the business is cashless, and no money was taken.
Between 4 and 5 a.m., police say three people broke the glass door of Sweet Drip and stole a safe and cash before fleeing. The owner said there was about $100 in the safe.
Police say in each of the five break-ins, the offenders were wearing masks and gloves and fled in a black Honda CR-V.
Dig deeper:
The owners of neighboring businesses Sweet Drip and Sip & Savor both spent the morning cleaning up and making repairs.
"The rest of the day I spent cleaning glass, making sure we could open because that was my main focus — to let people know this is not going to discourage us," said Trez Pugh III, owner of Sip & Savor. "It sounds weird, but it gives me more energy to do more."
Pugh has experienced break-ins before, but they're not stopping him.
He has several Sip & Savor locations and is working to open another one in the Loop — with the exact location to be announced soon.
Likewise, Hasan Ali, who owns Sweet Drip, has replaced his glass door and is focused on moving forward.
"It's sad, because it's been two-and-a-half years of hard work, me and my business partner, her name is Sahar. We've been working hard but thank God — thank God nobody was here and nobody got injured, everything was okay," Ali said. "The best part is that they didn't take a dessert."
What's next:
No one is in custody. Anyone with information about the string of break-ins should contact Area One Detectives at 312-747-8380 or submit an anonymous tip using reference #P26-1-073 at CPDTIP.com.
The Source: The information in this report came from Chicago police, the owners of Sip & Savor and Sweet Drip, and FOX Chicago reporting.