Burglar strikes multiple University Village businesses

Police are warning residents about a series of business burglaries last week in the University Village neighborhood on the Near West Side.

In each case, a man entered a business through an exterior door or window before searching cash registers or trying to open a safe, according to a statement from Chicago police. In one incident, he may have entered through an unlocked door.

The first break-in happened sometime between 11 p.m. Nov. 6 and 6 a.m. Nov. 7 in the 1300 block of West Taylor, police said. Another happened at 4:04 a.m. Nov. 7 in the 1000 block of West Taylor, while a third happened at 4:37 a.m. in the 1000 block of West Vernon Park Place.

The suspect was described as a man between 30 and 40 years old, standing 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11 and weighing 140 to 160 pounds, police said. He wore a black jacket with a hooded shirt underneath, black pants and gray and white shoes.

Anyone with information about the burglaries was asked to call Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8380.