Police link string of robberies targeting bars, eateries, liquor stores around Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) — Chicago Police believe one group of armed robbers is behind a dozen different robberies that targeted businesses in various parts of the city since Friday of last week.
Six of those businesses were robbed on the city's North and Northwest sides on Thursday night and early Friday morning this week.
CBS 2 has obtained brand-new video of the robbers, who wear face masks, dark clothing and gloves. The video came from Winnemac Food & Liquors, at 5029 N. Western Ave. in the Lincoln Square neighborhood, which was robbed at 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
Surveillance video shows two men dressed in dark clothing entering the liquor store. One of the men creates a makeshift doorstop on his way in - and then orders two patrons to the ground.
The patrons lie down in the aisle as another robber comes behind the counter with a gun and a backpack, demanding the employee empty the cash register.
The employee said he did everything the man said, and held his arms up until the robbers slipped back out the door. He then called 911.
Police said the same suspects hit up 5 more businesses over the span of a little over two hours.
Around 11 p.m. Thursday, Basil Food & Liquor, at 7446 N. Western Ave. in the West Ridge neighborhood, was robbed by three men. One of the employees said two of the men were the same ones pictured in the Lincoln Square video obtained by the CBS 2 Investigators.
Three men with guns wearing all black entered the store. One of them fired at the store clerk, who then fired back.
The owner of the store, Basil Solaqa, said it was the third time thieves targeted his store, and the clerk who shot back was his son. Bullet holes were left on the store's window as a result.
Solaqa said his son was not hurt, and the would-be robbers ran away without taking anything.
Another liquor store – A&P Food & Liquor at 1968 W. Peterson Ave. in West Ridge – was hit around 9:45 p.m. by two men at gunpoint.
A Subway sandwich stop in the same strip mall, at 1958 W. Peterson Ave., was robbed at 11:15 p.m.
Also targeted were a Subway sandwich shop at 5232 N. Nagle Ave. in Union Ridge, a 7-Eleven at 4771 N. Elston Ave. in Mayfair, and a store in the 4600 block of North Western Avenue in Lincoln Square.
On Friday, Chicago Police put out a community alert to residents of the Deering (9th), Near West (12th), Jefferson Park (16th), Lincoln (20th), Rogers Park (24th) and Grand Central (25th) police districts – connecting these robberies to six others over the past week.
All the robberies have targeted liquor stores, taverns, bars, or late-night fast food and convenience stores.
The list included the robbery of the Irish Nobleman Pub at 1347 W. Erie St. in West Town.
The brazen robbery happened at 1:47 a.m. this past Saturday at the bar. Customers were robbed, and the cash register was cleared, and it all happened in less than a minute.
"The guys walked in, pointed a gun right in my face, and started robbing customers and robbed the bar. I grabbed the waitress, and we went out the back door. And I went outside by my car and started dialing 911 and shouting for help," bar owner Declan Morgan told CBS 2 earlier this week. "The guy standing at the door that was lookout started shouting at the other guys that I was outside, and they came out and shot at me. So they shot three shots, hit a Jeep, and hit my truck."
Morgan said the damage to the cars that were both struck by gunfire will cost him more than what they lost in the robbery, but the most expensive consequence is the loss of staff. Four people have quit the bar since Saturday, saying they no longer feel safe working there.
The list of linked robberies also included the holdups of the Buchanas Liquor Store, at 1834 W. 47th St. in Back of the Yards, and El Trebol Liquors & Bar, at 1135 W. 18th St. in Pilsen, both of which happened Tuesday night.
The store in Back of the Yards was held up at 9:50 p.m. Tuesday. The liquor store keeps its door locked for security. The robbery crew knew that, and was seen on surveillance video following a customer inside.
One of the robbers pistol-whipped the customer over the lead, leaving him on the ground as the crew demanded cash at gunpoint. Another customer was also in the store and was pushed.
The manager was seen holding his hands up and hand everything over. The manager said the robbers threatened to kill him if he didn't obey. The customer was rushed to the hospital once the crew left – bleeding, but expected to recover, the manager said.
At the Pilsen store, police said the robbers held up four customers and an employee – whom they hit in the head with a gun. Just like in the robbery caught on camera in Back of the Yards, two robbers entered while one waited at the door.
The list of related robberies also included incidents at the following times and locations:
- Friday, May 3, at 11:14 p.m., in the 5700 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, Jefferson Park.
- Saturday, May 4, at 9:44 p.m., in the 6900 block of West Grand Avenue, Montclare.
- Tuesday, May 7, at 10:57 p.m., in the 5500 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, Jefferson Park.
Police said all the robbers have displayed handguns in all the robberies, and have fired a weapon into the air in two instances.
Anyone with information is asked to call Wentworth Area detectives at 312-747-8384, Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8263, or Grand Central Area detectives at 312-746-7394.