CHICAGO — Police warnings are one good way to stay on top of home burglaries and keep them away from your block. Even better is hearing from the burglars themselves.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) will hold a "Keeping It Real" burglary prevention seminar to invite Chicago Police officers and convicted thieves to offer neighbors lessons on how to safeguard their homes from sticky-fingered criminals.
Officials held a similar seminar in the Morgan Park neighborhood earlier this month, when six convicts nearing the end of their prison sentences gave a thorough and frank presentation on their former strategies as part of a work-release program.
The Jefferson Park Police District saw 135 burglaries reported between Jan. 1 and March 15 this year, compared to 152 during the same period in 2016 and 133 in 2015, according to city data.
The seminar is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Schorsch Village Hall, 6940 W. Belmont Ave.