Serial Car Thieves Strike Auto Dealerships On Chicago's NW Side
(CBS) -- Car thieves have been taking cars from affluent neighborhoods. Now, they're targeting Chicago area car dealerships.
CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.
Surveillance video shows suspects making their way through the Mike Anderson Chevrolet of Chicago service department in Portage Park, taking a total of nine new cars in just the past two weeks.
Soon after one of the thefts, the dealership started receiving taunting phone calls.
General Manager Jason K says the thieves took dealer plates too.
"We've had at least four sets of dealer plates stolen," he says.
The Autobarn Volkswagen Chicago dealership across the street also had three new cars stolen.
"It's not the fact that they're stealing these cars, but these cars are gateways into other crimes -- drive-by's, robberies, things like that. We found drug paraphernalia and alcohol in these cars," K, the manager says.
He adds: "They're driving around drinking and high. God forbid they kill one of our relatives or loved ones. It's a big deal that this stops."
After tracking each dealership car and getting them back, he says $5,000 reward is being offered for the arrest of the two men seen in the surveillance video.