Burglars hit Oakbrook Center Neiman Marcus

Four burglars escaped with items worth about $50,000 after using a maul to gain entry to the Neiman Marcus store at Oakbrook Center, police said Thursday.

The crime occurred around 4:20 a.m. Tuesday when the thieves used the hammer-like weapon to break one of the store's glass windows, according to a news release from Oak Brook police. The offenders then loaded purses and sunglasses into two blue garbage bins and fled.

Police said the burglars were in the store for about 90 seconds.

Officers arrived on the scene within two minutes of receiving the call. A perimeter was set up and the building was searched, but the offenders had fled.

There were similar smash-and-grabs last year at the mall.

In May 2014, three people wearing masks and gloves smashed a window to get into the Lord & Taylor store and stole more than 150 pieces of jewelry and watches valued near $100,000.

Another smash-and-grab happened in March 2014 at the Louis Vuitton store, where burglars took bags worth more than $70,000.

Anyone with information is asked to call Oak Brook police at (630) 368-8700.