An increase in burglaries during September and an alarming residential armed robbery reported in Harwood Heights have put some residents on edge. Police say they’ve increased overnight patrols.
Compared to August, when five vehicles were reportedly broken into, so far eight vehicles in Harwood Heights had been burglarized by the third week of September, according to Cmdr. Steve Biagi of the Harwood Heights Police Department.
The higher-than-usual number of break-ins has caused concern among some residents, such as Rita Rogers. She voiced her concerns to local officials during the Sept. 22 Village Board meeting.
“I see a lot more activity on my block, with people I’ve never seen before coming and going in cars and also walking after dark with no flashlights,” Rogers said. “It’s amazing the number of baby buggies that (are out) and don’t have babies in them — late at night.”
On the morning of Sept. 14, a family was victimized by an armed robber who entered their home with a gun on the 7500 block of Carmen Avenue around 8 a.m. and left with a $7,000 wedding ring. Police have since released a sketch of the suspect depicting a black male with a thin build between 30-35 years old. He was wearing a black jacket and a floppy hat.
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Harwood Heights police are working with authorities in Oak Lawn to explore the possibility that the crime could be connected to two similar robberies that occurred in the south suburban town the day before. A red Buick Enclave that was seen at one of the crime scenes in Oak Lawn matches a description of a vehicle a witness reported seeing near the Harwood Heights robbery, according to Harwood Heights Deputy Police Chief John DeVries.
The Sept. 14 incident is the only residential burglary that has been reported in September. None were reported in August, according to police. While vehicle and residential burglaries are cause for alarm, police said there’s an important difference in when the crimes occur.
“Vehicle burglaries tend to occur during the overnight hours, when people are sleeping, while home burglaries tend to occur during the daytime hours, while the homeowners are at work,” Biagi said. “Obviously, there are exceptions but these are the most common.”
In response to the uptick in crime this month, more officers will be out patrolling the streets at night, especially darker side streets and alleyways, according to police.
Police have also spread the word to residents about remembering to always lock their car doors. In many cases, thieves walk around car-lined streets trying door handles until one opens, police said. Even small items such as sunglasses, cigarettes, and loose change can be targeted in car-break-ins, DeVries said.
Police said they plan to stop anyone walking late at night who doesn’t look like they belong in the neighborhood.
“I have our midnight shift driving around after midnight,” DeVries said. “Anyone walking around in the streets — especially with a backpack on — I want them stopped, and I want their ID.”
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.