Destructive burglars target Avondale car wash only months after opening

CHICAGO — The owner of a Northwest Side business is picking up the pieces after falling victim to a burglary just months after opening his doors.

Shazad Khan, the owner of Neon Hand Car Wash in the 2900 block of North Elston Avenue, said while the suspects only made off with about $150, what disheartens him more than anything is the damage left behind and how quickly his new business became a target.

“Little did I know that three months into the business that something like this would happen,” Khan said.

On Wednesday night, Khan received a late-night call about a break-in at the car wash. When he reviewed the surveillance video, he saw two suspects dressed in black and wearing ski masks as they pulled into the alley behind his business in a white Hyundai.

According to Khan, in just six minutes, the duo was able to force their way through the business’s back door.

“Crowbars, they yanked the door open, it’s a metal door,” Khan said.

Khan said once the suspects got inside, they went straight to the room where the cash register was kept. Khan added that a key had been left on the register, specifically for these types of situations.

“Just for $150 they vandalized and broke the door, the register, messed up the office,” Khan said.

Chicago police later issued a community alert stating that the suspects targeted a total of three businesses that day.

According to CPD, at 2:30 a.m., the suspects used crowbars to break into a business and register in the 1500 block of Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park.

Police said nearly an hour later, they struck again in the same neighborhood, this time on the 1700 block of Milwaukee Avenue.

Their last stop was at the car wash at 9:21 p.m.

“We just need to be aware of our surroundings. We need to be aware of suspicious activity and just allow police to take action,” Khan said.

Having only been in business since June, Khan notes that they are hardworking people striving to make an honest living.

The damage caused exceeds just the cash stolen and they’re now taking all possible measures to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“The break-in door, we got that replaced. We called a security specialist that recommended get shudders installed. But again, it’s added expenses on top of expenses that we wouldn’t assume we needed,” Khan said.

Despite everything, Khan is determined to stay positive and continue driving the business forward.

“This takes us a little bit of a step back. But, you know, I’m working hard. We don’t give up so we’re going to make sure the business improves.” Khan said.

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