Park Ridge’s chief of police recently made another appeal to residents to lock their cars as reports of overnight burglaries continue.
“We have groups of people who roam the streets looking for unlocked cars,” Police Chief Frank Kaminski said during the City Council’s Aug. 13 meeting. “We aren’t the only suburb that gets hit. A lot of suburbs get hit. But it’s an easy target if you leave your car unlocked, so please lock your cars.”
But just hours after the chief’s statement, additional car burglaries were reported to police, according to a list of criminal incidents released by the department.
Overnight between Aug. 13 and Aug. 14, burglaries to six unlocked cars were reported around the city, police said. The targeted cars were parked on the 700 block of Babetta Avenue, the 1700 block of Good Avenue, and the 600 block of Ottawa Avenue.
Cash was reported stolen from three of the cars, but nothing appeared missing from the others, police said.
Around 6:45 a.m. on the morning of Aug. 14, a resident of the 1100 block of Parkwood Avenue reported seeing a dark-colored Mercedes stop in front of his house before an occupant of the car exited and approached his car, which was parked in the driveway. Police said the resident confronted the man and he got back inside the Mercedes, which drove away.
The car was occupied by four men, police said.
Overnight between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13, two unlocked cars parked on the 800 block of Austin Avenue and the 600 block of North Oriole Avenue were burglarized as well, police reported. Boxing gloves, hand wraps, a fishing pole and tackle box were reported stolen from the car parked at the Oriole address, but nothing was reportedly taken from the other vehicle.
A center electronic console was stolen from an unlocked 1998 Honda, parked on the 1600 block of Courtland Avenue overnight between Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, police said. The car’s spoiler, tires and rims were also reportedly stolen.
Reports released by police on Monday show four additional unlocked cars were burglarized between Aug. 20 and Aug. 23 on the 1600 block of South Prospect Avenue, the 1600 block of South Washington Avenue, the 1400 block of South Fairview Avenue, and the 200 block of Higgins Road.
Park Ridge 5th Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian also reminded residents to secure their firearms — a reference to the reported theft of a handgun during another string of burglaries to unlocked cars late last month.
