Burglars bust hole in walls to steal from South Side businesses

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Business owners on Chicago's South Side are being warned after a sting of burglaries apparently executed by a thief busting holes in the walls of buildings next door.

The latest incident happened last week, and it was a two-for-one burglary. A fast-food restaurant and cellphone store are connected, and the burglar or burglars stole money from both locations. The break-in left a huge hole in the wall between the two businesses.

The incident happened at 5 a.m. Tuesday in the 1300-block of East 87th Street.

Surveillance video shows a man breaking into the Red Snapper Fish & Chicken fast-food restaurant through a back door and tearing into a safe, stealing a few hundred dollars. He then used a sledgehammer to break the wall and enter an adjoining Metro PCS store to steal about a hundred dollars.

The video also shows the man talking on a walkie-talkie, perhaps calling for his accomplice.

Sal Asmar, who owns Red Snapper, said the two men spent three to four hours in his business, stealing a minimal amount of money, but making a huge mess.

"The damage that was made was a lot more, maybe eight, nine thousand dollars worth of damage," Asmar said.

Workers at both businesses were left shaking their heads.

"The hole was pretty big," said Javar Orange, an employee at the cellphone store. "It was big enough for a body to fit through. And then they tore all the cabinets and stuff looking for the money, but honestly we didn't have that much to take in the first place.

"I came in the store and I saw a big hole and I'm like, 'What's going on?'" said Thasha Johnson, who worked at the Red Snapper.

Another hole-in-the-wall burglaries happened at another business at 1:30 a.m. July 22 in the 1600-block of East 87th Street. In mid-March, two businesses in the 8100-block of South Stony Island Avenue.

The businesses in the 1300-block of East 87th Street have had a tough run lately. Multiple business owners said they've been burglarized in recent months though it's unclear if the incidents are connected.