Crime in Logan Square

Francisca Zumaya, who lives and works in Logan Square, said her car was broken into a second time when two men shattered the car window and took her audio system.

"I would like to move someplace else, but I can't afford it," said Zumaya. "It just isn't safe."

Zumaya said she has to take extra precautions, especially with her young children. She said she takes her children everywhere she goes and does not let them go anywhere alone.

"Another time [burglars] entered my apartment," she said. "The building entrance is always busted open and there is a big drug problem there."

Interviewed Monday in the North Side neighborhood of Logan Square, other residents said they take similar safety measures to stay safe. Residents said they avoid becoming victims by being aware of surroundings, not walking around at night alone and not wandering into areas they are unfamiliar with.

Logan Square does not have the most criminal activity in Chicago, but theft and home invasion has a strong impact on the residents. Nearly everyone said they have been victims of crime, or know people who have been victims, whether the crimes were home invasion, muggings or shootings outside their apartments.

Logan Square is ranked the sixth highest in crime in Chicago among 232 neighborhoods, according to Chicago.everyblock.com, a website that records crime. The website reported that crime has risen 3 percent from Jan. 14 to Feb. 13 of this year, for a total of 793 crimes. During the same time period, South Austin had the most crimes with 1,365 incidents. Englewood ranked second with 1,241 crimes, according to the website.

Many business and homeowners worry about their safety because of residential burglaries.

Chicago Police Officer Ken West of the 14th District patrols businesses from the 2600 block to 2900 block of Milwaukee.

"The biggest crime here is residential burglaries,” said West. “You have people go to work, they stay away for 9-10 hours a day.”

Amanda Hernandez, who has lived in the area for 20 years, has never been attacked, but her brother-in-law was recently mugged. She never goes out after midnight, she said.

“He got jumped when he cut through an alley,” Hernandez said. “They busted a beer bottle over his head and took all of his money.”

To reduce crime, residents should communicate more often with police, said Martha Ramos, chief of staff for Ald. Rey Colon, 35th ward. Ramos also said residents should attend meetings of CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategies), report suspicious activity, identify suspects and give specific addresses so police know exactly where to go.

Logan Square, which is located five miles northwest of the Loop in Chicago, spreads east of the Chicago River, with Milwaukee Avenue bisecting the neighborhood diagonally.

Logan Square is a very diverse area, but predominately Hispanic/Latino, making up 65.1 percent of the population according to the 2000 census. Caucasians make up 48.4 percent of the population. The median income is $36,245.

Once a former prairie lying beyond Chicago, the area began drawing more residents in 1836. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the neighborhood grew extremely fast. The L was added to the area in 1890, allowing even more people to move and be able to travel from the Loop.