Chicago police may have made progress in their search for a heavily armed robbery group that has been targeting downtown areas this month, frequently in daylight hours. However, most members of the group are still at large.
A 17-year-old has been charged in connection to one of the robberies attributed to the so-called Maserati crew, according to the Chicago Police Department (CPD). At least three other members have not been charged, and further charges are pending for several related robberies.
According to police, the juvenile was involved in robbing two men, aged 25 and 47, on West Erie Street in River North at around 6 a.m. Tuesday. The victims were approached by a dark-colored vehicle, from which several men emerged with firearms, demanding their possessions at gunpoint. The suspects fled north on Kingsbury Street, and no injuries were reported, as stated by a CPD spokesperson.
The 17-year-old faces charges of two counts of armed robbery with a firearm, aggravated possession of a weapon, and criminal trespass to a vehicle. Additionally, a 15-year-old was charged in connection with the event, though not for the robbery itself. The charges against him include possession of a stolen motor vehicle and aggravated possession of a weapon, according to police.
Approximately 30 minutes before the West Erie robbery, four armed men confronted another victim on West Flournoy Street in the Near West Side, a location previously not targeted by the crew. The victim was struck in the head with a firearm, and his wallet and phone were taken before the suspects escaped in a black SUV. The injured victim sought help by knocking on a nearby home for assistance. CPD has linked the incidents on Flournoy and Erie streets in a community alert.
The group’s criminal activities date back to early March. Police report that victims were robbed on East Chicago Avenue on March 8 and West Walton Street on March 15, losing valuable watches, jewelry, purses, clothing, and wallets. In one case, the suspects intentionally rear-ended a victim’s vehicle to approach them.
Another bold incident associated with the crew occurred at 4:40 p.m. on East Chestnut Street. A 64-year-old man exiting his vehicle was approached by a black SUV, possibly a Maserati, carrying four males. Three suspects exited the vehicle, brandished rifles and handguns, and stole the man’s wallet, an expensive watch, and a bag containing firearms, according to a preliminary police report. The suspects also aimed their weapons at two bystanders, a 58-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man, but left without taking anything from them. Surveillance footage captured the SUV driving north on Rush Street, then circling back to Chicago Avenue before heading south on Lake Shore Drive.
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