Chicago Punishment for Egg-throwing Offenders

Drivers pulling up in the parking lot of Westfield Mall could see the white Toyota SUV covered in egg remnants, mustard and tomatoes. It's unclear how long the truck had been parked at Westfield Mall (also known as Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center), located at 4999 Old Orchard Shopping Center, but it was visible around 8 p.m. and gone before 10:30 p.m.

The person or group of people who vandalized this driver's vehicle clearly wanted to make sure the driver knew what was done. Mustard, remnants of tomatoes and an empty egg carton were still on the ground by the truck.

While the jokesters may have thought this was something to laugh about later, if this egg damage had been done in the city of Chicago, the person or people responsible could face misdemeanor charges.

"It would depend on if it's criminal matter or a prank," said an officer from the Chicago Police Department in Rogers Park, who would prefer to not have her name mentioned. "It would depend on the person. It may be a friend versus friend. It may be a practical joke that went too far. It depends on if someone is caught. If it causes damage to the paint, then that's criminal damage to the vehicle."

A Chicago Police officer contacted through 311, who also declined giving his name, said this "would be considered a misdemeanor charge and the judge would be the person to decide on the fine amount." Unlike the loud music fine in Chicago that can range from $700 and up, there is no set fine on egging a car.

The punishment for property damage in Chicago or Skokie could be more serious depending on how much damage was done to the car (ex. destroyed paint).

"There wouldn't necessarily be fine," said a Skokie dispatcher. "It would be criminal damage for something that couldn't be cleaned up. That would be considered vandalism. That person would have to pay to repair it and whatever the court would assess. But it also depends on whether this was something that can easily be washed off."

The victim of the car who's had his vehicle damaged should immediately try to get as much of the egg off as possible before it sits on the car, especially considering the heat and humidity in Chicago this summer. The harder the egg was thrown, the more likely the egg shells can crack the paint. The yolk of the egg also sticks to paint.

Warm water, vinegar and terry cloth towels are recommended for cleaning egg off of a car. Remove egg shells by hand, not by going to drive-thru car washes. The pressure from drive-thru car washes may scrape more paint off. Get as much of the egg off as possible by carefully removing each piece.

Contact your insurance company to find out whether property damage to your car is covered under your plan. Geico's customer service department stated damage from eggs falls under comprehensive coverage in Illinois. However, more information may be needed before your auto insurance company will pay for damages.

"Anytime your vehicle is involved in any kind of damage, it's always in your best interest to have it on file," said a Geico auto insurance claims representative. "The police report is not required, but the police report may be necessary to confirm the date that the incident happened depending."

Additional Notes: This entry was originally published by the Chicago News & Events Examiner.