Category: Neighborhood Safety

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Events & Announcements Neighborhood Safety

Halloween Fun in Graceland West: Warner Park Recap & What to Know for Saturday’s Trick-or-Treating

It is officially the best time of year in Graceland West! From crisp autumn mornings at the park to packed sidewalks on Halloween night, our neighborhood spirit is in full swing.

A Huge Thank You for a Fantastic Warner Park Event!

First, a massive thank you to everyone who joined us last Saturday, October 24th, for our annual Halloween Party at Warner Park!

We had an blast watching kids (and parents!) navigate the Spider Maze, compete in the mummy races, decorate pumpkins, play Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin, and enjoy delicious caramel candy apples. Seeing Warner Park filled with families, costumes and friendly faces is always a highlight of the season.

A huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who pitched in to run games, manage crafts, serve treats, and clean up afterward. We also want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who brought non-perishable food items for Nourishing Hope. Your generosity will go a long way in supporting local families this fall and winter.

Up Next: Halloween Night Trick-or-Treating & Street Closure Details!

As everyone knows, Halloween in Graceland West is electrifying. Many homes on Greenview hand out well over 1,000 pieces of candy. To keep our trick-or-treaters safe from speeding delivery drivers and heavy traffic, the 47th Ward Alderman’s office has granted our community a Halloween Block Party permit!

Here is what you need to know for this Saturday, October 31st:

  • Hours: Street closures will be active from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
  • Closed Blocks: Greenview Avenue will be closed to through traffic in three sections:
    • Montrose to Cullom
    • Cullom to Berteau
    • Berteau to Belle Plaine
  • Intersections: East-west streets remain open to through traffic, but cars will be blocked from entering Greenview at Pensacola, Hutchinson, and Warner. Endpoints will be secured with cars or cones.

Parking & Resident Info

  • Parked cars are allowed to stay on Greenview! The goal is safety, not disruption.
  • If you plan to drive in or out of the neighborhood between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM, we recommend parking on an east-west street or using an off-alley spot for easy access.

Volunteers Needed & Final Shoutouts

A huge thank you in advance to our Greenview neighbors and the Alderman’s office for getting this permit secured and flyering the neighborhood.

If you’d like to help keep the evening running smoothly—whether by helping monitor endpoints or assisting with setup—please reach out

Thank you all for making Graceland West such a safe, fun, and welcoming place to celebrate. We can’t wait to see your trick-or-treat costumes this Saturday!

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Neighborhood Safety

Community Safety Alert: Montrose Graffiti Incident & Key Safety Best Practices

We are writing to update you on a recent incident of vandalism in our neighborhood and to remind everyone of the simple, everyday safety practices we can all use to protect our community.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday May 26, between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM, a series of etched glass graffiti attacks occurred along both sides of Montrose Ave, stretching from Clark Street to Ravenswood.

Over 10 windows were damaged, targeting local businesses and neighborhood schools—including Ravenswood School (4332 N. Paulina), the newly renovated Dunkin’ Donuts (1441 W. Montrose), and Quantum LEEP Forward Academy (1447 W. Montrose). The suspects left behind initials tagged as “KOM”. Repairing etched glass is incredibly costly and a massive and unfair burden for our local small businesses and schools.

Thanks to our highly connected network, GWCA neighborhood leaders jumped into action immediately. Security camera footage capturing two suspects has already been retrieved and shared with Alderman Matt Martin’s office, Alderwoman Angela Clay’s office, and the 19th District CAPS team.

How you can help right now

Check Your Cameras: If you have security or doorbell cameras facing the street, sidewalk, or alleys near Montrose, please review your footage from Tuesday, May 26, between 2:00 AM and 4:00 AM. If you spot any suspicious behavior or individuals matching the timeline, please forward clips or stills to GWCA and the 19th District CAPS office.

File a Police Report: If your property or business was tagged, please ensure you file an individual police report immediately. Police reports are required for every separate crime so that law enforcement can officially track patterns.

Report to 311: Several locations have already been reported for graffiti removal (including SR numbers tracked by Ald. Martin’s office), but if you notice any missed tags or other neighborhood damage, please snap a photo and submit it using the Chicago Works / 311 app.

Incidents like this remind us how vital our Neighborhood Safety Guidelines are. To deter future vandalism and property damage, we encourage every household and business to reinforce these collective steps:

  • Light Up the Night (Dusk to Dawn)
  • Install and Utilize Video Security
  • Know Your Neighbors & Keep the Lines Open
  • Report Everything: never hesitate to call 911 for crimes or suspicious behavior in progress

GWCA Announcements & Upcoming Events

While we stay vigilant about safety, we also have plenty of exciting ways to bring positive energy to our community

  • TODAY 5/30/26, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM: 47th Ward ECO Fest: Don’t forget that Alderman Matt Martin’s EcoFest is happening this Saturday! Come out to support local environmental initiatives.
  • TOMORROW 5/31/26 10:30 to 11:00 AM: Kids Pollinator Planting Garden Event in Warner Park.
  • 44th Annual Garden Walk: Mark your calendars for Sunday, July 12 from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM! If you would like to join the Garden Walk Committee, help with the Pot Luck Committee, or open up your own garden to be showcased, please contact Linda Welsh to get involved.
  • Join the GWCA Council: We currently have two open positions on the GWCA Council! If you want to bring your ideas and energy to help shape the neighborhood, please reach out to us at info@gracelandwest.org.

Thank you to all the block leaders, business owners, and neighbors who stepped up so quickly to look out for Montrose Avenue. Together, we keep Graceland West safe, vibrant, and strong!

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Neighborhood Safety

Community Safety Update: Tips for a Secure Neighborhood

In the spirit of keeping our community informed and looking out for one another, we wanted to share a summary of recent activity reported by neighbors and provide some practical tips to help keep our streets safe and well-monitored.

While there has been an uptick in vehicle-related thefts in the area—specifically involving catalytic converters and airbags—we can take simple, collective steps to discourage this activity.

Recent Neighborhood Activity

Several neighbors have reported thefts over the past week, primarily focused on vehicle parts:

  • Catalytic Converters: Targeted thefts occurred on the 1400 block of Warner and the 4200 block of Greenview.
  • Airbags: Incidents were reported on the 1400 block of Belle Plaine and near 4001 Greenview. Reports suggest that Honda models (specifically CRVs and HRVs) are being frequently targeted for their airbags.
  • Work Vans: There have been reports of break-ins to work vans on Greenview during daylight hours. A suspicious vehicle and an individual wearing a high-visibility vest were spotted in the area.

Simple Steps to Protect Your Property

There are several easy ways to make our blocks less appealing to those looking for an opportunity:

  • Light Up the Night: Keep your front and back porch lights on from dusk to dawn. Motion-sensor lights are also highly effective. Ensure lights are angled downward rather than toward the sky.
  • Secure Your Vehicle: If you own a Honda or park on the street, consider using a steering wheel lock (like “The Club”), which can deter airbag thieves. As always, ensure no valuables are left inside your car.
  • Home Security: Double-check that all home and garage doors are locked. For those on the first or second floors, using ventilation locks on windows is a great added layer of security.
  • Know Your Neighbors: Having the phone numbers and addresses of the neighbors on all sides of your home makes it easier to look out for each other and communicate quickly if something seems amiss.

The Importance of Reporting

If you see a crime or suspicious behavior in progress, please call 911 immediately. For reporting past incidents, contact the 19th District CAPS office at 312-744-0064 or email caps.019district@chicagopolice.org.

Even if it feels like a minor incident, reporting it is vital because police patrol staffing is determined by crime statistics. If it isn’t reported, the city doesn’t know we need the extra coverage.

Get Involved

We are looking for four volunteers to attend the 19th District Beat 1912 meetings over the next year (meetings occur every other month) and report back to the community. If you can help, please reach out (info@gracelandwest.org)!

By staying vigilant and keeping our neighborhood bright and connected, we can continue to make Graceland West a safe place for everyone.

Take care,

Your Graceland West Neighbors

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Neighborhood Safety

Vehicle Crime in the Neighborhood

Between June 19 and today, June 25th, we have had 5 separate vehicle incidents:

  • Car parked at Cullom and Greenview had window smashed
  • Car parked on the 1400 block of Warner had window smashed
  • Car parked in driveway on 1400 block of Belle Plaine was broken into
  • Car parked on 1400 block of Warner near north/south alley east of Greenview had Catalytic convertor stolen 
  • Unlocked car on 1400 block of Warner near north/south alley east of Greenview was entered and were contents tossed around.

Please contact info@gracelandwest.org if you know of any other vehicle or other crime incidents.

Please help deter crime in the neighborhood by doing the following:

  1. Maintain a bright front porch light from dusk to dawn all year.
  2. Maintain either a bright rear door light or motion lights.
  3. Install and a video camera.
  4. Always lock your vehicle, house and garage and secure open windows on 1st and 2nd floors.
  5. Remove all valuables from your vehicle.
  6. Lock bikes and vehicles that are garaged.
  7. Look outdoors when you’re up at night. Not a bad idea to have a few indoor lights on timers.
  8. Report all alley and street lights out.  Report all suspicious activity.
  9. Attend the 19th Police District Council meetings (tonight and July 24th, flyer attached) and the next Police 1912 Beat Meeting, July 16, 6:30 pm, Sulzer Library.
  10. Please be extra alert to suspicious activity and sounds at any hour.

Please join the Graceland West Community Association, GWCA.  Membership dues help support our website, newsletters, meetings, events, an annual donation to Warner Park and Gardens and a scholarship for a college bound Lake View High School student. 

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Neighborhood Safety

Police seeking information from 2/19

On Monday, Feb 19 (President’s Day) a carjacking incident occurred at 4 am on the 4200 Block of Greenview. Please check your video cameras for a red SUV and email CAPS019district@chicagopolice.org with any information, please copy info@gracelandwest.org.

Help us prevent crime in the neighborhood by always reporting crime, suspicious activity & dangerous driving to 911. Confirm that your porch lights and rear lights are working from dusk to dawn.

More safety tips at: https://gracelandwest.org/neighborhood-safety/

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Neighborhood Safety

Staying Safe in the Neighborhood – Vehicle Edition

You may have heard about the recent attempted carjackings at the gas stations in our neighborhood. Members of GWCA and GWCA council members have contacted both the 19th District police station and Alderwoman Clay’s office as well as attended CAPS and District 19 meetings.

Please be sure to visit our Neighborhood Safety page for recommended best practices to prevent crime. It is very important that you call 911 and report any suspicious activity or crime happening “now”.  It is equally important that you report any criminal damage or theft and get a report number.  Our police coverage is based on actual reports.

Specifically related to the recent gas station incidents, please see the attached flyers from the CPD.

  • When you are getting gas, lock your vehicle while you gas up and put your keys in your pocket.
  • Don’t leave your car at a pump and go inside to buy something. Re-park your car closer to the convenience store.
  • Don’t leave your keys or your cell phone in the car.
  • Don’t fill up if you’re the only vehicle.
  • Don’t have your vehicle nose out to fill up.

If you contact CAPS (CAPS.019district@chicagopolice.org) or Alderwoman Clay (info@46thward.com), please copy info@gracelandwest.org. 

If you are interested in participating in our Block Rep program, please reach out to info@gracelandwest.org.

       

CPD – Gas Station PSADownload
CPD – Carjacking – What you should knowDownload
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Neighborhood Safety

Community Alert: Criminal Damage to Vehicle & Theft

Please see the Community Alert issued by the 19th District (attached below and uploaded here). If you are a victim of this crime, please do not touch anything and call Area 3 detective Division at 312.744.8263. Finally, remember to keep the perimeter of your property well lit.

P-23-3-028-Community-AlertDownload
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Neighborhood Safety

Recent Crime in the Neighborhood

There have been many reports recently of gun related incidents near the Graceland West neighborhood (see below for more detail about the incidents).  GWCA would like to remind all neighbors that it is essential that:

  1. All possible gunfire be called into 911 immediately and any outdoor arguments you hear need to be called into 911.
  2. Every home, apartment and condo building in the neighborhood maintains a bright porch light on from dusk to dawn, all year, and a motion light or bright light in the rear.
  3. Graffiti and bent street signs are photographed and reported to 311.

If you have any details about or may have video recordings of any of the following incidents, send them to  arturo.hernandez@chicagopolice.org and to monique.giannoni@chicagopolice.org.

Do not hesitate to reach out to info@gracelandwest.org if you have any questions or concerns.

  • 12-26-2022 – Shots fired, 6:30 pm, Cullom and Ashland
  • 12-17-2022 – Shots fired, 7:05 am, Belle Plaine and Paulina
  • 12-14-2022 – 2 killed, 10:00 pm, 4800 N, between Ashland and Clark
  • 12-14-2022 – Shots fired, 9:40, 4300 N Ashland
  • 12-12-2022 – Armed robbery, 1900 W Berteau, 4600 N Ravenswood
  • 11-22-2022 – Shots fired, 5:15 am, Berteau and Ashland
Categories
Neighborhood Safety

19th District Police need information and video from Saturday, May 28th

There was a carjacking in the 1400 Block of Cuyler on Saturday, May 28th at 1:05 pm. 

Did you see anything between 12:30 and 1:20 or do you have video?  If so, please email marcus.mudd@chicagopolice.org.  We ask everyone in the neighborhood to check their video, especially those who live on Cuyler as well as Southport or Greenview from Irving Park to Berteau or if you’re near a near a neighborhood entrance or exit.  Do not contact the district seeking information, only to provide information. They cannot give information about an ongoing investigation.

Suspect vehicle: Grey Jeep Cherokee. Suspects: 2 males, 20 – 28, wore black masks, displayed handguns. Victim vehicle: Silver Lexus SUV. Victim: male.

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