Brinks armored trucks robbed in Calumet City, Lansing, Bridgeport within hours
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Three armored trucks were robbed at gunpoint - each a few hours apart in broad daylight – in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood and the south suburbs Wednesday.
The FBI is investigating if the robberies are connected.
As CBS 2's Sara Machi reported, a Brinks armored truck was first robbed in the parking lot of a Pete's Fresh Market on Sibley Boulevard just off the Bishop Ford Freeway in Calumet City. This happened sometime before 10 a.m.
Around noon, a Loomis truck was robbed on 173rd Street in south suburban Lansing.
The last crime scene happened around 2:30 p.m., just across the street from the NuMark Credit Union at 31st and Wallace streets in the Bridgeport neighborhood. The target was another Brinks armored truck, and dispatch audio indicated about $400,000 was stolen.
It was something neighbors didn't expect to see on their way home.
"Normally, stuff like this doesn't happen here," said Jodie Ulaszek.
Chicago Police notified FBI investigators of the crime scene – which again was the third armored truck robbery of the day. Whether the robberies were related is not known, but conjecture is that they could have been.
"Three such incidents have the flavor of a spree," said Arthur Lurigio, a professor of criminology and psychology at Loyola University Chicago.
Lurigio said this number of such robberies in one day is unusual - so investigators are looking for people with knowledge about this industry.
"They maybe orchestrated, planful," he said. "These are quite unlike robberies on the street; quite unlike carjackings, which occur more spontaneously."
Although relatively rare, we have shown you other recent incidents. FBI investigators shared photos of suspects from the robbery of another armored truck in Calumet City on the morning of Monday, March 27. This robbery happened near River Oaks Drive and Ring Road.
A suspected thief grabbed bags and ran from a Brinks armored truck n a robbery in Orland Park March 4.
And at 87th Street and Lafayette Avenue in Chatham on Feb. 28, an armored car guard was shot and hit in the bulletproof vest.
Lurigio says looking at criminal profiles, thieves who hit armored cars tend to be older and experienced.
"Their pulse doesn't go up," he said.
Lurigio said such robbers are willing to take great risks with a small chance for a big payoff.
"I've found them to be among the most dangerous, recidivistic offenders that I've profiled over the years," he said.
At this point, it again remains unclear if any of these robberies were connected.
We asked the FBI for more information. They told us they're working on getting any photos or videos of the suspects.