West Side Property Owner Offers $2K Reward After Series of Car Break-Ins

Surveillance video captures individual targeting multiple vehicles on Arthington and Polk Street.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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A West Side property owner in Chicago is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest after a series of car break-ins were captured on his surveillance cameras. The incidents occurred between midnight and 3 a.m. on a recent Saturday, with two break-ins on Polk Street, three on Arthington, and five between Wilcox and Sacramento. The property owner, Alex Roman, says the perpetrator was meticulous, wearing gloves and a mask, and removing any materials used to break into the vehicles.

Why it matters

Car break-ins can shake a community's sense of safety and security, and this string of incidents highlights the ongoing challenge of property crime in some Chicago neighborhoods. The property owner's offer of a reward aims to encourage someone with information to come forward and help bring the perpetrator to justice.

The details

Roman's surveillance cameras captured an individual going car-to-car on Arthington and breaking into his tenant's vehicle behind his property on Polk Street. The perpetrator did not leave any materials behind and was wearing gloves, a mask, and a hood, suggesting a high level of planning and care to avoid detection.

  • The incidents occurred between midnight and 3 a.m. on a recent Saturday (February 15, 2026).

The players

Alex Roman

A West Side property owner who is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in connection with the series of car break-ins.

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What they’re saying

“They were very well covered, very meticulous.”

— Alex Roman, Property Owner (abc7chicago.com)

“I noticed the cars that they did break into, they didn't leave any materials inside, like, whatever they used to break it. They took it back out with them, and they were wearing gloves, a mask, a hood.”

— Alex Roman, Property Owner (abc7chicago.com)

“It's to bring peace of mind to the people around here. I know when stuff like that happens, they can kind of shake their sense of safety, and it's kind of invasive to have someone go through your car and wonder if they're going to come back.”

— Alex Roman, Property Owner (abc7chicago.com)

What’s next

Roman is encouraging anyone who is a victim to file a police report so that these crimes can be put on record.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenge of property crime in some Chicago neighborhoods and the importance of community members taking proactive steps, such as offering rewards, to help bring perpetrators to justice and restore a sense of safety in the area.