Police search for hammer-wielding burglars targeting restaurants on Northwest Side

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A community alert has been issued for businesses on the city's North and Northwest sides, as police search for the men who have been using a hammer to smash their way into restaurants and steal cash.

Four businesses were hit in one night. Two of those four businesses were hit a minute apart on the same block—the 6700 block of North Olmsted Avenue, which diagonally alongside the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line in Edison Park.

The Edison Park Inn, a neighborhood sports bar and grill known for its wood burning oven pizzas and for bowling and billiards, had its door boarded up late Wednesday after being targeted around 3:15 a.m. last Friday, July 19.

"Kind of no rhyme or reason behind it," said Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st). "It's just kind of random attack late at night, hitting multiple locations and breaking in."

Police released surveillance video showing three people getting out of a white Dodge Charger. One grabs a hammer to smash the glass front door to the restaurant and bar—and the thieves help themselves to the cash register once inside.

"Just coming in stolen vehicles so they're hard to track the car down to anybody, and they're just hitting random locations," Napolitano said.

Moretti's Ristorante & Pizzeria, 6727 N. Olmsted Ave., was also hit around 3:15 a.m. this past Friday morning. At 2:50 a.m. that same morning, Zia's Social, located just a few blocks away at 6158 N. Northwest Hwy. in Norwood Park, was targeted.

Napolitano said seven businesses in his Far Northwest Side ward have been hit since the spring.

"Crime has been out of control for a good eight years now, and we haven't been able to put our thumb on it," Napolitano said.

Surveillance video shows what happened at Zia's. One of the burglars is seen taking a hammer and smashing a hole through the back door—and once he squeezes through, he kicks the door open for the two thieves on the outside.

Once inside, the thieves browse around the counter before heading upstairs to the safe.

"Kind of a smash-and-grab situation. Came in, three people went up there, chucked our safe down the stairs—did some damage on the stairs, the floor, you know, did some damage to the safe, obviously—that was their plan. Took it out to our back alley, got it open, took everything in there," said Joseph Calabrese, manager of Zia's Social. "They were definitely here for money."

While Calabrese hopes such a burglary does not happen again, he also hopes for consequences for the burglars.

"I just hope for accountability," Calabrese said. "You know, all you hear is none of these crimes are being solved, or you know, criminals aren't being held accountable."

Calabrese has also already had to make changes at Zia's—which is now operating as a cashless business.

He feels there could be a ripple effect down the line—impacting employees who are not getting as many cash tips.

Meanwhile, managers and owners are investigating to see if the thefts could have been an inside job.

The first burglary listed on the police community alert happened at 2:25 a.m. this past Friday in Andersonville, miles away from the others.

Vincent Restaurant, 1475 W. Balmoral Ave., posted a video to Facebook that night with a caption reading, "Break down our door we get back up!" The video touting the restaurant's resilience showed The Beaus performing Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" at Vincent less than 24 hours after burglars struck there.

The thieves in all four incidents were described as male and between 16 and 25 years old. They were wearing black masks, black hooded sweatshirts, black pants, and gloves.

Anyone with information should call Grand Central Area detectives at 312-746-7394. Anonymous tips can be submitted at cpdtip.com.