Annual Crime Rises, But More Slowly, in McKinley Park

Overall crime in Chicago’s McKinley Park neighborhood increased by almost 6 percent in 2024 compared to 2023. However, that jump in eight key crime categories is a slowdown compared to the 20 percent increase in crime the neighborhood suffered from 2022 to 2023.

The biggest jump in 2024 came in neighborhood thefts and burglaries: an increase of 29 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Thefts totaled 326 in 2024 versus 253 in 2023; burglaries numbered 50 in 2024 and 45 in 2023.

“There also were a number of garage burglaries,” said Chicago Police Department 9th District Commander Joseph Mark. “But residential burglaries were not as prevalent.”

A slight 3.5 percent increase in assaults — 88 in 2024 versus 85 in 2023 — and two 2024 homicides, compared to none in 2023, also contributed to the rise.

McKinley Park neighborhood crime decreased in the four other major crime categories the FBI calls index crimes:

• Motor vehicle theft dropped 21.6 percent, totaling 80 thefts in 2024 versus 102 in 2023.
   
• Robberies dipped 21.3 percent - 48 incidents in 2024 versus 61 in 2023.
   
• There was one fewer criminal sexual assault in 2024 — seven — versus eight in 2023, for a 12.5 percent drop.
   
• Incidents of battery fell 3.2 percent: to 150 in 2024 versus 155 in 2023.

These crime statistics originated from the City of Chicago Data Portal.

Focusing on crime in business districts is an important local concern, said 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez. “Certainly crime will be a big topic of discussion so that we can all be safer,” she said.

In the Chicago Police Department’s 9th District — which covers McKinley Park and the surrounding community areas of New City, Gage Park, the Near South Side, South Lawndale, Bridgeport, Fuller Park, West Englewood, Englewood, Brighton Park, Douglas, Armour Square and the Lower West Side — overall index crime dropped by 2.5 percent from 2023 to 2024.

The biggest reductions in 9th District crime from 2023 to 2024 were motor vehicle thefts, which fell 26 percent, and robberies, which dropped 17 percent.

Crime increased most in the McKinley Park neighborhood compared with its neighbors. The Lower West Side Community Area, which includes the Pilsen neighborhood, saw a 2.7 percent increase in crime.

The New City community, which covers Canaryville and Back of the Yards neighborhoods, experienced the largest decrease in crime — 7 percent — of all of the neighborhoods adjacent to McKinley Park.

Bridgeport saw a slight reduction in crime of half a percentage point in 2024 versus 2023, while Brighton Park crime increased by 3.5 percent.

Overall in the city of Chicago, crime in the eight index crimes remained mostly flat, with a 1.7 percent drop.

While index crime increased in 2024, its rate of increase was the lowest over the last few years. Also, 2024 is the first year with crime decreases across Chicago, within the 9th District and some of its communities.