Hanover Park dog training club burglarized

The German Shepherd Dog Training Club of Chicago located in Hanover Park reopened on Thursday after an act of burglary and vandalism earlier in the week.

The club, located at 4925 County Farm Road, was broken into sometime between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 6 p.m. Wednesday, said Nancy Bartosch, vice president of the club.

Doors and windows were broken, items were thrown around and messages were written on the walls, Bartosch said. She said a pocket watch that belonged to one of the group's founders was stolen off a wall, and it was clear that an attempt was made to steal a small safe at the nonprofit but it was bolted to a countertop.

"There's nothing really to steal here. Why would they break in?" Bartosch said.

The club, which has been providing training classes for owners and dogs of all breeds in Hanover Park since the 1980s, had to close on Wednesday night to clean up the damage.

There were no dogs in the business when the break-in occurred.

Hanover Park police said no one has been arrested.