Lincoln Park Neighbors Chase Down Man Accused Of Robbing Woman In Broad Daylight
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Lincoln Park neighbors sprang into action this weekend after hearing a woman scream.
A foot chase with a robbery suspect was caught on camera in broad daylight. CBS 2's Steven Graves spoke to a man who saw the terror.
It was a little before noon on Saturday. Jeff Hale was sitting in his front yard to enjoy the unseasonably nice weather.
But suddenly, the calm and peace was shattered when a woman was heard screaming.
She woman was pepper-sprayed and robbed of her bag in the 1900 block of North Bissell Street, near Wisconsin Street.
The victim, a realtor, had just wrapped up a showing and was walking to her car when she was attacked.
"It was horrendous," Hale said. "I mean, it was something you don't hear every day and it went on for quite a while."
The bloodcurdling screams alerted neighbors to spring into action.
"Probably 15, 20 people out within a minute or so," Hale said.
The crowd came out both to help the woman and to chase the assailant. Video showed the foot chase go right past Hale's house as he watched.
One man was heard yelling at the robber: "Hey! Hey, give me the bag!"
The robber dropped the bag and took off some clothes after neighbors called 911. But police did catch him.
"It's very upsetting and it's very concerning, and especially when it happens near noon on a Saturday afternoon," Hale said.
But brazen crimes are something the Lincoln Park neighborhood has seen recently.
Just last month, CBS 2 reported on a rash of midday thefts. In the 2100 block of North Sedgwick Street about a mile from the scene of the Saturday incident, men casually stole from a home on a Wednesday at noon.
Similar incidents happened in the 1800 blocks of North Sedgwick and Orleans streets.
In those incidents, no one even noticed the burglars were there.
But in this case, Hale said his video, cameras, and dedicated neighbors helped police piece the puzzle together in moments.
At last check, police were still securing charges against the subject. A coworker of the victim said she had minor injuries and has to take some days off work to rest.