Smash-and-grab burglars target DTLR store in South Shore neighborhood
Thieves targeted a South Shore sportswear store early Thursday, one of four recent smash-and-grab burglaries in the Chicago area using a Jeep.
It took only moments to break through the entrance at the DTLR store in the 2100 block of East 71st Street, and minutes to loot the store around 2:40 a.m.
When the thieves pulled out in two getaway vehicles, they left a damaged Jeep behind, the owner unaware it had even been stolen from her home.
She said her car had been parked since 3:50 p.m. on Wednesday. She said that it's overheating as well.
A store employee said the thieves got away with about $5,000 in merchandise. While they tried to make it into the back with the shoes, they were unsuccessful. Instead, they made off with tracksuits for illegal resale.
It was at least the fourth smash-and-grab burglary this week, including one around 4 a.m. Thursday at a smoke shop in North Riverside, a break-in at a Foot Locker in the Douglas neighborhood in Chicago on Sunday, and another at a Snipes shoe store in the South Deering neighborhood on Tuesday.
Car security shop owner Steve LoBello explained and demonstrated how quickly some cars can have a key re-programmed. It look him less than 90 seconds.
"Just buy the programmer off Amazon, buy some blank keys, plug into the CAN bus block on the car, you're good to go. Program that key in two minutes or less, and you steal the car and you're gone," he said.
Employees at the DTLR store said they're going to board up and re-open, unsure what they'll do to secure the shop from a repeat theft.