A String of Violent Armed Robberies Plague Chicago’s Near West Side
A violent armed robbery crew has been wreaking havoc on Chicago’s Near West Side neighborhoods over the past three days, with at least eight holdups linked to the group. Police are concerned as the offenders show no signs of slowing down.
During these robberies, the perpetrators have resorted to violence, demanding phone passcodes and pistol-whipping their victims before making their getaway.
Recent Robberies
The most recent attack occurred just before 11:20 a.m. on Friday, when a group of three individuals—two men aged 32 and 46, and a 43-year-old woman—were robbed at gunpoint while sitting in a red car in the West Loop.
Surveillance footage captured the incident as a gray Infiniti Q50 pulled up in front of the victims’ vehicle. Two masked men quickly approached the car, demanded their belongings, and fled southbound on Laflin with the stolen items. Thankfully, no injuries were reported in this incident.
Earlier that morning, a 32-year-old woman in Logan Square was robbed by three masked men armed with guns as she stood near an alley in the 2700 block of North Milwaukee. The men demanded her property, which she handed over before they fled through the alley.
Police Response
By Saturday afternoon, Chicago police had issued a second community alert, connecting these robberies to a series of similar incidents dating back to early Thursday morning.
The crime spree began in West Town on Thursday morning, where a woman was violently attacked and robbed at gunpoint by three masked men. The pattern continued with robberies at Rush University Medical Center and in West Town on Friday morning.
In all instances, the offenders have been described as two to four Black males between 16 and 25 years old, using a stolen gray Infiniti Q50 and changing stolen license plates to evade capture. Victims have reported that the robbers typically wear dark hooded sweatshirts and black ski masks.
Safety Tips
Chicago police are urging the public to not resist during a robbery and to try to observe physical details about the offenders without pursuing them. If witnessing an incident, individuals should stay on the scene and provide information to the police.
Anyone with information about these robberies is encouraged to contact Area Three detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com referencing crime pattern #P25-3-032.
