Police warn of home burglaries in Austin

Police issued an alert Wednesday warning residents of recent home burglaries in the West Side Austin neighborhood.

The burglars force their way into a home through the front or back door — usually by kicking or prying the door in — during the daytime hours and steal property, according to a community alert from Chicago Police.

The burglaries happened:

— in the 5200 block of West Congress between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on March 21;

— in the 5200 block of West Jackson between 8 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on March 23;

— and in the 5200 block of West Washington between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 1.

Residents are advised to ensure all windows and doors are locked, and report suspicious individuals. Anyone with information should call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263.