Rats 'The Size Of Possums' Swarm Old Town Apartment Complex
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Residents of a public housing complex in the Old Town neighborhood said the facility has been overrun by huge rats, which have become an even greater nuisance due to ongoing renovations.
Construction work inside and outside the 628-unit Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes has stirred up the rats, and some claim they're huge.
"They are the size of possums. They are real big. It's scary, too," said Caritha.
She said the rats have been a problem for years, but excavation at the courtyards has exposed their nests, making the problem much worse.
"You're starting to see them more now. They're brave, though. They're real bold. They're real bold. Some, they will jump on you; terrible," she said.
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Caritha said when she sees them, she'll run, "or have somebody to walk with me."
She said the rats don't come out in the daytime, but they're active at night.
"Can't even walk into your hallway without some rats running out while you're walking in," Caritha said.
The city have provided abatement services to this location five times since Jan.1, most recently this morning, according to The Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation (DDS). DSS said they will continue to rebait the area and work with residents to eliminate food sources and conditions that can contribute to rodent problems until the issue is resolved.
The developer has also been working with an exterminator to get rid of the rats.
