At least 7 North Side businesses targeted in hours-long smash-and-grab burglary spree: VIDEO

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It is pretty shocking to be awakened at 4:30 a.m.

Jason Dohmann owns Platform 47 in Ravenswood. He immediately he knew something was wrong when his security system notified his phone that motion sensors were picking up movement inside his restaurant.

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"They broke through our front door there. When we watched the security footage, there were four people that came through. One was a lookout outside and kept pacing back and forth in front of the restaurant," Dohmann said.

Video shows the offenders getting in and out in less than two minutes. They took cash till from a digital jukebox and an entire cash register.

"Maybe $3 in quarters. Nothing, no businesses in this area keep cash, because of this reason," Dohmann said.

Platform 47 is just one of at least seven businesses hit on the North Side early Sunday morning in the span of just a few hours. A corner coffee shop just across the street in the 4700-block of North Damen Avenue was also hit.

The burglaries happened at the following times and locations Sunday:

• 2200-block of North Clark Street between the hours of midnight and 8 a.m.


• 2400-block of North Lincoln Avenue between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.


• 1500-block of West Montrose at 2:56 a.m.


• 2000-block of North Lincoln Park West at 3:25 a.m.


• 1500-block of West Jarvis Avenue at 4 a.m.


• 4700-block of North Damen Avenue at 4:31 a.m.


• 4700-block of North Damen Avenue at 4:38 a.m.

Chicago police described the suspects in this string of burglaries as three to four males in dark clothing, hooded sweatshirts and gloves seen leaving the scene in a silver or black Kia Soul.

"Obviously, they're in a desperate situation. I don't know why else they would do it, you know?" Dohmann said. "But yeah, I don't think the risk is worth the reward."

Dohmann said typically, they leave their cash terminals open, so burglars see there is no reward. That's a tip he got from the previous owner.

"There's no cash to be had here. We have families. We are a new business, small families, and it hurts," Dohmann said.

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