LINCOLN PARK — At least four Lincoln Park restaurants were burglarized early Thursday, according to police and business owners.
Police said "several" businesses in the 2400 block North Clark Street were burglarized around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, but could only immediately confirm two incidents.
Joe Baek, the owner of House of Wings, 2447 N. Clark St., — one of the restaurants that was hit — said the burglar broke the glass door and stole part of the cash register only to ditch the empty drawer on Lakeview Avenue. Police confirmed that stolen items were left in the street.
Baek said the burglar stole about $300. In his 15 years on Clark St., Baek said this is the first time his restaurant has been targeted. But he wasn't worried, saying "I"m fine. I'll just keep going."
Cafe Luigi Pizza, 2548 N. Clark St., was broken into around the same time, according to the manager Valentina, who declined to provide her last name. The burglar broke the door, but didn't steal anything because the pizzeria doesn't keep cash in the register overnight, she said.
The burglar also hit the eatery next door, Angela's Burrito Style, 2556 N. Clark St., stealing about $140, according to the owner Guerzo Bautista. He said it cost about $900 to fix the broken cash register and glass door.
"It makes me upset, but it's not the money [the burglar] took ... it's the damage," Bautista said.
Bacci's Pizzeria, 2557 N. Halsted St., which moved into the neighborhood just four months ago, was also targeted. An employee, Angie Lasalle, said the burglar threw a brick into the pizzeria's glass door and stole the cash register.
Lasalle didn't immediately know how much money was stolen, but said the restaurant typically keeps cash in its register overnight.
"They were distraught," she said of the owners. "They put so much into this."
Detectives are investigating the incidents, police said.
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