More than 140 stolen items recovered by Chicago police last week during a major operation are on display through Friday so their rightful owners can claim them.
The numerous tools, landscaping equipment, auto parts and even a sword are worth about $100,000, a sergeant with the Chicago Police Department's Major Auto Theft Unit estimated.
The items were discovered last Wednesday when police received a call from a man who said he used GPS to track his stolen vehicle to a large warehouse on the city's West Side.
When officers arrived, they came across several stolen vehicles, three stolen motorcyles and stolen trailers. A second search warrant led them to even more property.
Chicago police said they’re happy to help people recover their items, but owners need to present a few key pieces of information.
"They need a police report number, whether it's a Chicago police report number or a suburban police report number," Sgt. Keith Blair said, adding, "And they need to bring identification and any other type of information they have on the tools that may have been stolen that can show ownership."
The owner of a landscaping company from Evanston recovered about $1,000 worth of stolen property, and the key was he marked all of his equipment and filed a police report.
"We didn't think that we would ever see it again," Paul Klitzkie from Nature’s Perspective Landscaping said, "and it was just the most amazing phone call that we got yesterday from one of the detectives here."
The items will be on display between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the 10th District at 3315 W. Ogden Ave.
