Burglars steal ATMs from businesses on South, SW sides, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police are investigating a string of ATM thefts targeting businesses on Chicago's South and Southwest side. Nine ATMs have been stolen or attempted to be stolen in the last two and a half weeks, police said.

From July 10 to Monday, August 5, nine small businesses have been broken into or had attempted break-ins and had their ATMs stolen, according to Chicago police. The businesses were all in the Grand Crossing, Chicago Lawn and Deering neighborhoods.

"Two offenders have been seen on video entering locations or attempting to enter locations, taking ATMs," said Jose Jara of the Chicago Police Department Office of Communications. "Detectives have viewed several surveillance videos where they believe it is two male black teens."

On July 18 in the 4200-block of West 63rd Street, Windy City hot dog stand was broken into at 3:42 a.m. and the ATM inside was stolen.

On July 27 at 4:40 a.m. the thieves cut four locks on the exterior gates of a corner store, broke two windows, jumped inside and ripped the ATM out of the wall. They also managed to steal a safe and attempted to take the cash register.

On the same night, within an hour of the first robbery, about a block away in the 4200-block of South Rockwell, an ATM was stolen from another corner store.

Most recently, on Monday night two men tried to break into Morris O'Malley hot dogs at 3501 South Union Street by throwing bricks at the window, but were unsuccessful.

The offenders were able to leave with the ATMs in burglaries that happened:

Between July 26 and 27 in the 4300 block of South Campbell Avenue;

July 27 in the 4200 block of South Rockwell Avenue;

August 2 in the 300 block of East 61st Street;

August 5 in the 3500 block of South Union Avenue;

and August 5 in the 200 block of East 71st Street.

Chicago police are advising all local businesses to make sure that their location is well lit, and if they see anything suspicious to call police immediately.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.