Bike Shop Burglars Bolt Before Skokie Police Arrive

SKOKIE, IL — A burglary at an Oakton Street business triggered a heavy police presence for several hours Tuesday morning.

Shortly before 4 a.m., officers were dispatched to the Erik's Bike Shop location at 3801 Oakton St. for a report of a burglar alarm, according to Skokie police.

Police found that someone had broken into the business but left before their arrival.

Following a search of the building, Skokie police said no one was in custody, and they had yet to determine what, if anything, was stolen.

Minneapolis-based Erik's Bike Shop operates 30 shops throughout the Midwest, including stores in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

According to Skokie police records, burglars also struck the building on Dec. 10, breaking the front window with what appeared to be a thermos. An attempted burglary at the business was also reported Dec. 13. Patch has requested additional details about those incidents.

The area's latest early-morning bike shop burglary comes after a downtown Evanston bike shop was targeted twice in 10 days this month.

Three bikes were stolen on Dec. 4, then on Dec. 14, two more bikes were stolen from Wheel and Sprocket shop at 1027 Davis St., Evanston Now reported, with a store manager saying the same suspects are thought to be behind both incidents — and that there had been four similar smash-and-grab bike shop burglaries in Chicago recently.

No information about any suspects or suspect vehicles was immediately available Tuesday from a Skokie police spokesperson.