Men Wearing Ski Masks Break Into Homes, Pose as Cops

Two similar events reported this week

Police are cautioning Northwest Side residents about a pair of home invasions earlier this week.

The first home invasion happened about 1 p.m. Monday in the 6300 block of North Lowell Avenue in Sauganesh, followed by another about 4 a.m. Thursday in the 6300 block of North California in West Rogers Park, according to a community alert from Chicago Police.

In both cases, three or four men in their mid-20s told residents they were police officers searching for someone.

In Monday’s case, the men wore ski masks, hooded sweatshirts and hats pulled tightly around their faces, the alert said.

The men forced their way into the home and displayed a handgun.

In Thursday's incident, the men came face-to-face with a 28-year-old woman inside her home. They claimed they were police officers, searched her house and left.

"We're sad when we hear stuff like this happen in our neighborhood because we love it here. It's a nice, clean, quiet neighborhood," said Susan Davis, who has lived in the area for 20 years.

Fred Ortiz says his home was burglarized a couple of years ago and that things seem to be getting worse.

"It's pretty scary. A lot of the neighbors have been upset over the events and a lot of events going on over the last couple of years, so we've just been trying to communicate things to each other better,"

"You want to be comfortable in your home, you know, it's your sanctuary, and when someone violates that you feel a lot different about it."

Police say a third home invasion in the Hollywood Park neighborhood two weeks ago is not related, even though the descriptions are similar.

Anyone with information should call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263.
 

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