West Town liquor store targeted as Chicago police crack down on retail thefts
CHICAGO - A West Town liquor store is the latest target of smash-and-grab thieves, as Chicago police say they're working to crack down on retail thefts.
Chicago police are still investigating the overnight incident, after thieves made off with an unknown amount of alcohol and cash.
Surveillance video shows three men breaking the glass door and barging their way inside "Loop Tavern Wine & Spirits," which is located in the 1600 block of West Chicago Avenue.
The crime happened just before 4 a.m. on Friday. Police say they stole an unknown amount of merchandise and cash before fleeing.
There is currently no one in custody.
This comes as the Chicago Police Department is trying to crack down on smash-and-grabs and other incidents of retail theft.
Friday afternoon, Police Superintendent David Brown said Chicago police arrested a 15-year-old responsible for a rash of burglaries at Ulta Beauty locations throughout the city between August 27 and September 26 of 2021.
The teen is charged with 21 counts of felony retail theft.
"We are soliciting any, what I call nosy neighbors. We need you to become a nosy neighbor if you’re not right now. Anything suspicious that you see in your neighborhood, please, please call the police, go to your districts, get with your cap officers, go to the beat meetings, and help us bring these people to justice, we just need any piece of evidence sometimes to break the cases these crews are committing across the city," Brown said.
Superintendent Brown says the 15-year-old was involved in an organized retail theft enterprise and was likely re-selling the stolen items on the black market.
He says police are still looking for additional offenders who were involved in the scheme.