Two Cars Used to Destroy South Side Chicago Liquor Store in Coordinated ATM Crash-and-Grab

CHICAGO, IL — A liquor store in Chicago’s South Side community was severely damaged during a coordinated “crash-and-grab” burglary on Monday, May 25, 2026. The perpetrators utilized two vehicles to breach the building’s exterior in an aggressive attempt to steal an automated teller machine (ATM) housed inside.

According to the Chicago Police Department, the incident took place in the afternoon on Memorial Day. The suspects lined up two vehicles and rammed them repeatedly into the storefront of the establishment. The force of the impact shattered the exterior brick walls, glass panels, and security grates, leaving the building’s structural integrity compromised. Once the barrier was breached, the burglars targeted the store’s ATM, successfully loading it or removing cash before fleeing the scene in the vehicles.

First responders arrived to find the storefront completely open to the elements, with debris and shattered brick scattered across the sidewalk. Structural engineers were called to evaluate the safety of the building. The business owner, devastated by the scale of the damage, expressed shock at the extreme measures the thieves took to target the cash machine.

This incident is part of an ongoing trend where criminals utilize stolen vehicles as battering rams to bypass heavy security gates. Police are analyzing security footage to trace the license plates of the two vehicles involved, which are suspected to have been stolen. No suspects are currently in custody, and CPD Area Detectives are leading the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact local authorities.