Police issue alert about robber who bolts from scenes in U-Haul truck
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police issued a community alert Thursday about a robber who has been using a U-Haul truck as his getaway vehicle.
The robber has been targeting women in north lakefront neighborhoods.
CBS 2's Chris Tye reported on three robberies on Wednesday, while the alert mentioned a fourth.
These robberies happened three times in two days - Monday to Tuesday. Three of the robberies happened in broad daylight – and that getaway vehicle certainly did not blend in with its surroundings.
Police could not confirm a first reported robbery was part of the pattern, and it did not appear on the community alert, This robbery happened at 11:30 a.m. Monday in the 600 block of West Bittersweet Place in Buena Park - just west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Bittersweet Place runs just north of Irving Park Road.
A bold criminal targeted a 62-year-old woman – approaching her from behind and grabbing her personal belongings – including her credit card. Dispatch reports indicated that the robber pushed the woman down.
The next happened around 10:10 a.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of East Grand Avenue in Streeterville, according to the police community alert. Further details on this specific robbery were not provided – beyond the general modus operandi in which the robber approaches victims in the public way and forcibly takes their property.
At 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the robber struck again – about four miles from the first crime scene. This robbery happened in the 5900 block of North Kenmore Avenue in Edgewater, also just a short distance from DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
The woman told police she was next to a vehicle when a man approached and grabbed her purse and bag. The man once again drove off in the U-Haul.
In the third incident, which happened at 9:39 p.m. Tuesday in the 3000 block of North Pine Grove Avenue in East Lakeview.
In this incident, a 49-year-old woman said she was walking on the block when a man came up from behind and demanded her property. They got into a struggle before the man snatched the woman's property away.
The robbery locations are all close to DuSable Lake Shore Drive in adjacent neighborhoods.
CBS 2 has learned the truck was rented days ago from a U-Haul lot 15 miles away in the South Shore, at 1650 E. 71st St.
The robber was last seen wearing a black, blue, and gray jacket and dark-colored jeans.
Anyone with information should call Area Three detectives at (312) 744-8263.