Teens suspected in theft of Simon the Chipmunk statue from Gurnee

A throng of teens may have made off with a 4-foot-tall plastic Simon the Chipmunk statue from the Marcus Gurnee Cinema in Gurnee Mills.

The theft of one of the three statues representing the cartoon stars of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel" was reported by theater staff to police Thursday night.

But a review of video from the theater's lobby revealed it was stolen late Monday night, Gurnee Police Cmdr. William Meyer said.

A group of between 15 and 20 teenagers are seen hanging out around the Chipmunk promotional display in the video at 11:35 p.m., Meyer said.

"They moved it closer to the door, and it looks like two of them carried it outside," Meyer said the footage shows.

The statue, valued at up to $400, was then stuffed into a waiting car and driven off, he said.

"We are investigating," Meyer said.