More car break-ins on same stretch of Prairie Avenue where 20 cars were already targeted
CHICAGO (CBS) -- We recently told you about as many as 20 car break-ins in one area over the weekend on the Near South Side.
On Thursday, there were several more.
With the South Commons area in Bronzeville clearly being targeted, CBS 2's Tara Molina talked to victims – and brought concerns straight to Chicago Police.
Chicago Police are formally warning people about the break-ins now, but what are they doing to prevent them? That's what victims want to know.
"To be honest, I'm speechless," said Afolabi Odubajo.
But Odubajo managed to find the words - after finding his right front passenger window broken, and his car ransacked, when he went to his car to run an errand.
On Thursday afternoon, he was still picking up the pieces and surveying the damage…
"This is crazy," Odubajo said. "I really don't know what they're looking for."
Odubajo works as a rideshare driver to make extra money. He is thankful his car wasn't stolen, but he needs it to work - and it could be expensive to fix.
"If I have to pay out of pocket, I have to find out" he said. "This is the first time this has happened to me."
People we talked to in the South Commons neighborhood said at least 10 cars were broken into along the 2500 and 2800 blocks of South Prairie Avenue - and that is after this weekend.
When we told you about as many as 20 break-ins in the exact same spot, Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) told us he is working with police to increase squad cars in the area, and with business owners for better surveillance.
"A lot of times, the cameras are not working - and a lot of the property managers are don't know that they can tie those cameras into OEMC," the alderman said, "and so part of my responsibility is to meet with property managers and share that information with them."
Robinson told CBS 2's Sara Machi earlier this week that linking private security cameras to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications would allow police to pull video as soon as someone calls 911 about break-ins.
We followed up with the alderman's office. It's still unclear when those changes could go into place.
"That's Chicago for you!" said Odubajo.
And with break-ins happening twice in a week, Odubajo said he is going to be forced to pay for a garage spot.
"It's not just safe to be on the streets," he said.
Odubajo also wants to see police watching this area and catching the people behind this.
Chicago Police on Thursday also issued a community alert on a rash of similar break-ins miles away in the Kenwood neighborhood. These break-ins occurred between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. Thursday in the 4800-4900 blocks of South Dorchester Avenue, the 4400 block of South Lake Park Avenue, the 4900 block of South Blackstone Avenue, and the 4800 block of South Lake Park Avenue.
Police said they could not confirm whether or not the Prairie Avenue break-ins were related.
Chicago Police also won't say how they're responding to these continued break-ins - only saying they are still investigating them right now.
