Chicago police said at least six people in different vehicles broke into three different stores within minutes of each other in the Lakeview neighborhood, and made off with three ATM machines, cigarettes and liquor early Thursday morning.
Shortly after 2 a.m., about five to six males broke a glass door of a tobacco store in the 1000 block of West Belmont Avenue and stole an ATM machine which was placed in the backseat of a white SUV, police said.
It appears they struck again about 20 minutes later in the 3400 block of North Sheffield Avenue at a liquor store, taking a second ATM with cigarettes and several liquor bottles, police said.
The last burglary happened about 2:25 a.m. in the 3700 block of North Halsted Street. The third time, an ATM machine was put in the back seat of a black sedan, police said.
The burglars fled the scene.
No one was in custody for the early morning heists, and Area North detectives were investigating.