Someone took a sledge hammer and smashed more than a dozen windows and doors at Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood over the weekend.
Just after 4 a.m. Saturday, police said a witness reported hearing glass shattering in the 3200 block of North Sheffield. The witness saw a man with a sledge hammer hitting windows and glass doors on the corner of Sheffield and School streets, authorities said.
Officers arrived and saw damage to glass doors and windows in the area but were unable to find a suspect. No injuries were reported.
Sheffield’s Beer and Wine Garden posted on social media that it was the victim of the vandalism.
“Someone smashed all of our windows in the middle of the night,” the bar wrote. “Our windows are temporarily boarded up but we are open business as usual.”
Photos: Man With Sledge Hammer, Smashes Nearly 2 Dozen Windows and Doors at Lakeview Bar
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Staff living above the bar said they woke up to the loud crashing sounds.
“Came down and there was glass everywhere,” said Manager Greg Heidel. “All along the street on School street, all along the street on Sheffield. Every single window was smashed.”
The bar’s owner says the vandalism was caught on surveillance video.
“It wasn’t multiple people,” said Rocky Albazi. “Had a hammer and just went through and methodically, window by window, very calmly went through and hit every window -some of them multiple times, others just once, depending on how they shattered. The doors also.”
In total, 17 windows and three doors were damaged, Albazi said.
The 1900s-era building will require custom replacement windows and could take time to fix, but Albazi said the eatery will stay open through the repairs. He said he is grateful for loyal neighborhood patrons and mild winter weather.
“It was Super Bowl Sunday yesterday. It was a little slower than it would have been, but a lot of friends and family and neighborhood people have been coming out and giving us support,” he said. “That’s been really nice to see.”
