Victims robbed by group of men at gunpoint on West Side, police say
CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago police are warning people to be aware of their surroundings following a string of armed robberies Saturday morning.
The robberies happened between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. in the West Town and Near West Side neighborhoods.
In each incident, three to four armed suspects approached victims on the sidewalk and demanded their property by threatening the use of force.
After taking their personal belongings, the suspects entered and fled in a waiting stolen vehicle, police said.
Incident times and locations:
- 1600 block of West North Ave on February 25, 2023, at 5:30 AM.
- 1600 block of North Wolcott Ave on February 25, 2023, at 6:00 AM.
- 900 block of North Winchester Ave on February 25, 2023, at 6:25 AM.
- 1200 block of North Paulina St on February 25, 2023, at 6:30 AM.
- 700 block of South Laflin St on February 25, 2023, at 7:00 AM.
- 1900 block of North Wolcott Ave on February 25, 2023, at 7:08 AM.
- 800 block of South Bell Ave on February 25, 2023, at 8:23 AM.
Police only had vague descriptions of the suspects but say they are African American men between 20 and 25 years of age, wearing dark clothing and ski masks and armed with semi-automatic handguns.
What you can do:
- Be aware of these crimes and alert family and friends who live in the area
- Be aware of your surroundings and free from distractions
- If you are confronted by an assailant, remain calm
- Pay special attention to suspicious individuals or vehicles in the area
- Call 911 immediately if you are a victim or witness to a crime and provide a detailed description of the suspect(s) including any vehicle description and license plate information
- If approached by a witness to an incident, request they remain on the scene when possible or obtain contact information
Anyone with information about the crimes can contact the Bureau of Detectives Area Three at 312-744-8263 or Area Five 312-746-7394.