Chicago Police Department officers detailed a spree of thefts and attempted thefts of ATM machines in Chicago’s McKinley Park and nearby neighborhoods at the Chicago Police Meeting for Beat 912 on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
“We’re getting slammed with ATM thefts,” said Community Policing Officer Carlos Aldana.
In addition to the early morning ATM theft at the Shell gas station at West 35th Street and South Damen Avenue on Saturday, May 2, 2026, in which five people stole an ATM after driving a car through the building’s facade, several other thefts and attempts have occurred nearby, Aldana said.
Ram Car
These include attempted ATM thefts at the McKinley Park neighborhood’s Marquette Bank location on South Archer Avenue and the Fifth Third Bank at West 33rd Street and South Damen Avenue, Aldana said.
“They use one car to be the ram car” to breach the building, Aldana said, then use another car to haul away the ATM machine and escape. Both cars are typically stolen, he said, and the ram car is usually an SUV.
Nearby Theft Attempts
Other recent nearby ATM theft attempts following the same pattern occurred in the Bridgeport neighborhood at the J&J Car Wash and JJ Peppers gas station, both on West 31st Street, Aldana said, and another attempt took place at the Marquette Bank location on West 54th Street and South Kedzie Avenue.
“They don’t hesitate to take the ATMs,” he said.
Get Rid of ATMs
Aldana noted that several owners related how they pay a heavy price for property repairs following ATM thefts and attempts.
“Business owners are deciding to get rid of ATMs,” he said.
Pursuit and Shooting
An aggravated battery around 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026, involved one car pursuing and shooting at another on the I-55 Eisenhower expressway, with both cars exiting at South Damen Avenue, Aldana said.
The pursued car drove to the Ashland Orange Line El station at 3200 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, where it dropped off a male Hispanic who seemingly intended to board a train, Aldana said. However, the pursuing car shot the victim in the lower back after he was dropped off, Aldana said.
St. Maurice Trespassing
At the Beat 912 meeting, Aldana detailed crime statistics between April 8 and May 12, 2026, including 11 burglaries, many tied to thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles parked on the street.
Aldana noted three arrests of individuals at the former St. Maurice church property at West 36th Street and South Hoyne Avenue. Chicago Police Department records show criminal trespass arrests of Julian Avila and Sebastian Gonzalez, both 18 years old, on April 22, 2026, at the property.
Crime Statistics
During the past-month reporting period, Beat 912 also recorded six aggravated assaults, seven motor vehicle thefts, 14 thefts and two robberies: one a carjacking, Aldana said.
Police received six reports of shots fired, nine reports of a person with a gun and 1,274 total calls for service over this time in Beat 912, Aldana said. Police also arrested 24 people.
Beat 912 Facilitator
Aldana said a facilitator still needs to be found for Beat 912, which covers the majority of the McKinley Park neighborhood, even though many nearby beats have this staffing.
However, he said Beat 924 in the Back of the Yards neighborhood suffers from entrenched street gang violence alongside surveillance and intimidation of any residents who attempt to participate in community policing.
Shoot At Anybody
He noted many innocent bystanders injured by members of the Latin Saints street gang: “They shoot at anybody,” he said.
“Getting a beat facilitator there will be nearly impossible,” he said.
Aldana shared how upcoming Beat 912 meetings for June, July and November will move to an online format instead of in-person. The next Chicago Police Meeting for Beat 912 is at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
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