The Chicago Police Department issued a special alert for residents living in the 18th Police district’s northern edge, as well as the 19th and 23rd Districts.

The police say recent burglaries between Fullerton and Lawrence, and the Chicago River and Lake Michigan follow a similar pattern: late at night or in the early morning hours, a burglar will access homes by entering through unsecured windows. “The screen is cut,” the police said in an e-mail, “allowing entry through the unlocked window.”

The property taken is generally items that can be carried away with ease, such as cash, cell phones, jewelry, lap top computers and other small items.