DOWNTOWN — Thefts have surged this month in and near some of Chicago's most prominent parks, with police saying big festivals like Lollapalooza are to blame.
Police reported 151 thefts in and near Grant, Maggie Daley, and Millennium parks from July 15 to Aug. 11, a figure nearly four times the 39 thefts reported there during the prior 30 days.
This month's thefts are also nearly 40 percent higher than the 109 thefts reported in the area during the same period last year, according to Chicago police data.
The statistics cover an area bounded by Wacker Drive, Roosevelt Road, Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan.
Pickpocketing and similar crimes have been on the rise all summer Downtown, but police said the theft surge this month is due to activity surrounding big, congested festivals including the Taste of Chicago and four-day Lollapalooza.
While the numbers also include retail thefts, the area largely covers parks and other outdoor areas.
And only a few of those festival thieves were caught: police arrested just 12 people and issued 16 citations at Lolla, down from the 34 arrests and 61 citations issued during last year's three-day festival, according to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
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