Crash-and-grab under investigation in Beverly

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police are investigating an attempted crash-and-grab burglary after they say a stolen van slammed into a store in the city's Beverly neighborhood.

A group of men allegedly rammed the vehicle through the front window of Shop 147 on the corner of West 95th Street and South Claremont Avenue just after 4:15 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Investigators say the offenders ran off after they weren't able to steal anything from the store.

Owner Rane Atieh says it's the third time the store has been hit since opening a year and a half ago, though this was the first crash-and-grab incident to target the store.

"They come in the night before or the week before and they check out where things are at and they make their move. It's just getting tiring," Atieh said.

Atieh says surveillance video shows that the windows were so damaged that it kept the offenders from getting into the store.

"These characters probably came to my neighborhood and in 30 seconds, got a running start and plowed into the building. Unless you have a squad on every corner you can't protect against something like this," said Ald. Matthew O'Shea, 19th Ward.

Several similar incidents have occurred in the Chicago area in the last year. Most recently, burglars drove a van through the loading doors of a Best Buy in the city's Bucktown neighborhood.

About a week prior, a Best Buy in southwest suburban Tinley Park was targeted by crash-and-grab burglars. The van involved in that incident may have been stolen from nearby Oak Forest.

That has fellow Beverly business owner Lorie Green worried.

"It's in our community, just hoping that it doesn't hit home for me or any other business owners in the neighborhood," Green said.

Frequent shoppers are stunned at the bold crime.

"I just think it's crazy and just goes to show how desperate people are these days," said John Simmons, a frequent shopper at Shop 147.

While Atieh assesses the damage, he's wondering how long he'll be able to stay in business.

"I don't give up. I'm going to stick around but if this keeps up, I'm going to run out of money," he said.

Police are continuing to investigate where the van was stolen from as investigators hope to get a description of the alleged burglars.