IRVING PARK — Police issued an alert after multiple tire thefts were reported on the North Side since at least July.



The Aug. 12 alert from the 16th District said rims and tires had been stolen from cars parked on the street during overnight hours.

The thefts were reported as far west as Dunning, as far north as Norwood Park and as far east as Lincoln Square. In most cases the cars were left resting on cinder or paver blocks.

Police say the thefts happened in the:



3900 Block of North Nordica Avenue on July 26, between 12:01 a.m. and 7 a.m.

3800 Block of North Nottingham Avenue on July 26 at 2:28 am.

5200 Block of North La Crosse Avenue between July 30 at 8 p.m. and July 31 at 5:30 a.m.

5000 Block of West Ainslie Street on between Aug. 6 at 9 a.m. and Aug. 7 at 10:00 pm.

4900 Block of West Strong Street on Aug. 07,between 12:01 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

6600 Block of North Central Avenue between Aug. 7 at 9:15 p.m. and Aug. 8 at 6 a.m.

4800 Block of West Winnemac Avenue between Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 10 at 5:57 a.m.

6300 Block of West Huntington Street between Aug. 9 at 9 a.m. and Aug. 10 at 7 a.m.

5700 Block of North Moody Avenue on Aug. 10 at 6:45 a.m.

5900 Block of North Odell Avenue on Aug. 10 between 12:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

However, not all of the thefts have been reported to police. On Wednesday morning a neighbor shared an image to a Facebook neighborhood group of this week’s latest tire and wheel theft in the 3900 block of North Monticello Avenue.



“This is the, by my memory, the seventh or eighth one in or around Independence Park,” Gary Dailey said.

Dailey lived in the Irving Park area since 2001 and says he attended a CAPS meeting earlier this summer to ask police about the tire and wheel thefts in the 17th District and if they could increase officer patrols.



“The caps officers that were there said they didn’t hear about this, they weren’t aware of it,” Dailey said. “I used to see patrols here fairly often on Monticello. But I don’t see as many patrols anymore. I mean I see them driving around Independence Park, but I don’t see as much of a presence. That’s not to say that they aren’t there, I’m not seeing them though.”



An additional 30 police officers are set to be ﻿assigned﻿ to the 17th Police District by the middle of September, according to Ald. Deb Mell’s office.

Police spokesperson Jessica Rocco said the department had no information regarding the wheel and tire theft posted to Facebook on Wednesday. However, police did say a catalytic converter theft was reported about a mile and half south that same Wednesday morning.



“In the 3200 Block of North Whipple Street on Aug. 15 at approximately 3:26 a.m. two unknown offenders driving a dark colored sedan cut the catalytic converter off a 2004 GMC truck,” police spokesperson Jennifer Bryk said. “Responding officers observed a dark blue Volkswagen in the area at which time the vehicle refused to stop when officers attempted to curb the vehicle. No offenders in custody.”



In a separate alert sent out this Monday police warned of catalytic converter thefts. These happened in the:



4800 block of West Hutchinson Street between July 20 at 5 a.m. and July 29 at 10 a.m.

5300 block of West Carmen Avenue on Aug. 3 at 3:33 a.m.

4800 block of West Winnemac Avenue between Aug. 5 at 10 p.m. and Aug. 6 at 6 a.m.

5000 block of West Sunnyside Avenue between Aug. 7 at 12:01 a.m. and Aug. 8 at 9 a.m.

Police recommend parking in well-lit areas, the installation of a car alarm set to go off at the slightest amount of motion and investing in “catalytic converter theft deterrent systems.”



Anyone information regarding these thefts can call Area North detectives at 312-744-8263.

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