Surveillance Video Captures Smash-and-Grab Burglaries in Avondale Neighborhood

CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago Police Department is investigating a string of early-morning smash-and-grab burglaries in the city's Avondale neighborhood on the Northwest Side. Surveillance video obtained by local business owners captured the moments suspects broke through storefront windows to steal valuable merchandise before fleeing the scene.

Early Morning Break-ins Target Local Businesses

According to authorities, the incidents occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, June 23, 2026. Surveillance footage from one of the targeted locations shows a group of masked individuals approaching the storefront. Within seconds, the suspects used heavy tools to shatter the glass entrance, gaining quick access to the interior. Inside, they targeted cash registers and high-value retail items, completing the entire heist in under two minutes.

Business owners in the Avondale community have expressed growing concern over the brazenness of these crimes. Local residents report that similar smash-and-grab incidents have occurred in surrounding Northwest Side neighborhoods, leaving merchants to deal with costly repairs and lost inventory.

Police Investigation and Search for Suspects

Chicago police officers responded to alarms at the locations, but the offenders had already fled in waiting vehicles. Area Five detectives are currently reviewing the security footage to identify the suspects and determine if the same crew is responsible for other recent commercial burglaries in the area.

No injuries were reported during the break-ins. Police are urging anyone with information, or additional surveillance footage from the area, to contact the Chicago Police Department’s Area Five Bureau of Investigations.