Rats invade Oak Park neighborhood

An Oak Park man says rats are invading his neighborhood. He says he caught more than a dozen rodents in his yard alone. He's worried things will only get worse if the city doesn't take action soon.

Click on the video player to watch Robin Schwartz's report.

David Wiener has new and unwanted hobby, hunting rats. His yard is filled with traps and plenty of signs the rodents are creeping around there. Right next door on Statford Place we found a fresh catch, a trap that killed two rats at once.

"I've caught 17 rats in three days," Wiener says. "It's like Club Med for rats!"

Wiener says uncovered garbage cans all over the city are a big part of the problem. He's appealing to his neighbors and hoping to be the Pied Piper for change.

"With the mild winter and road construction on Coolidge - I think all the rats their homes have been disrupted," Wiener says. "And they're moving over."

His sister, Ellen Greenberg, agrees and says not enough is being done. She lives a few streets away on Talbot. She showed us a picture of one huge rat she recently caught in her yard. Both say they've been calling Oak Park City Hall for help. We tried to talk to the mayor but we were told she wasn't in the office on Friday. The city's animal control officer refused to answer our questions.

"I think the city needs to come around on Thursdays when people put their trash out," Greenberg said. "And cite these people who are leaving their garbage cans open."

If nothing is done, they fear the rat infestation will only get worse.