LAKEVIEW — Town Hall police said they've noticed a pattern in recent Lakeview arsons and have turned to the city's bomb and arson unit for help in the investigation.
In early June, eight cars and a canopy were torched in an alley near Wrigley Field. Over Labor Day weekend, a series of alley fires destroyed a truck and mattress just a couple of blocks away. And a neighborhood blog has detailed trash-can fires in the same area as recently as Saturday.
"There is a pattern and we are looking for an arsonist," Police Capt. Bill Looney said Thursday.
All of the fires happened between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., according to the captain. And the Police Department has surveillance footage from one of the Labor Day fires that shows a suspect on a bike.
Police still aren't sure whether all of the fires were set by the same person or group of people. But detectives from the city's bomb and arson unit are investigating, Looney said.
According to Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), police have amped up their presence in beat 1924, which is bordered by Halsted, Southport, Addison and Belmont. Looney added that officers are focusing on late-night hours when the fires are most likely to occur.
"We've added policemen to that time, going through alleys, mostly, and side streets," he said.
Looney asked residents to call police immediately if they spot someone who doesn't belong in an alley.
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