A Half-Naked Burglar Tried To Assault Women In Wicker Park, Police Warn

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Aug 29, 2016 1:48PM

Police are warning of a series of disturbing home invasions in which a man with his pants down held down one woman and stole items from another woman's home after lurking over her bed while she slept.

In a police alert issued Saturday, police in the 14th District, which encompasses Wicker Park and West Town, described three disturbing instances in which a man broke into women's homes at night.

On Friday, Aug. 26 at 12:45 a.m., a woman sleeping in her residence in the 1400 block of North Greenview Avenue in West Town, said she was awakened by a man she didn't know, who was standing at the foot of her bed with his pants down, according to police. The woman "pleaded" with the man not to hurt her, and he took "numerous" items from her home before fleeing. It's possible he entered and exited the home through a window.

Also on Aug. 26, at about 11:10 p.m., a woman reported she was sleeping in her home in the 1800 block of West Evergreen Avenue by an unknown man. He was "unclothed from the waist down, on top of her [and] covering her mouth with his hand," police said. The woman pled for help and broke free as the man fled her home via her bedroom window.

Earlier in the night on Aug. 26, at about 10:45 p.m., two people living in the 1200 block of North Wood Street said they heard noises coming from their rear bedroom. When they checked the bedroom door it appeared to be locked. By the time they had managed to force it open, whoever had been inside their bedroom had escaped through a window, police said.

In both incidents in which women woke up to find a man in their bedrooms, the man was described to police as a black man in his 20s. Police recommend that concerned residents report any suspicious activity, people or vehicles to 911, secure their doors and windows, and alert their neighbors about the crime. Police also ask that people with information call Area North Bureau of Detectives at (312) 744-8261. Anonymous tips can be submitted to tipsoft.com, Reference - RD#'s HZ 407449, HZ 408723 & HZ 408743.

A police spokeswoman told Chicagoist Monday morning that the investigation is still ongoing, with no one in custody. Police did not mention any possible connection between these crimes and the so-called "creeper ghost" who was caught on camera invading a Bucktown home at night last month while its residents slept.