West Town residents demand police satellite office amid spike of crash-and-grab burglaries
CHICAGO - Residents of Chicago's West Town neighborhood are tired of the crime and now they are demanding changes.
Residents want a police satellite office, so that officers can respond to 911 calls faster. There's also a renewed call to bring back the police pursuit policy that was reversed in the summer of 2022.
The demands come as robberies have skyrocketed in West Town, with businesses and residents both being targeted in recent weeks.
Video from just days ago captured three stores that were victims of crash and grabs.
Chicago clothing store targeted by thieves in crash-and-grab burglary
Chicago police are investigating after a group of people drove an SUV into a Wicker Park clothing store and made off with merchandise early Saturday morning.
Residents of the community are calling on Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago police superintendent to attend the public safety meeting Wednesday night. They want to hear the city's plan to reduce violent crime and improve community safety.
Alderman Gilbert Villegas says he wants police to be able to do their jobs.
"The criminals know that there's a policy in place. So what do they do when they're committing a crime? They just leave. And these supervisors in turn say ‘stop the chase,’" Villegas said.
"We need that pursuit policy in place. I'll be talking to my colleagues to try and get that introduced in December and try to get it passed by the first of the year."
The public safety meeting is happening at the Ukrainian Cultural Center at 5:30 p.m.