Another Woman Robbed In Oak Park
Updated 4/29/2011
OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- Another woman was robbed Thursday night in Oak Park, following at least four similar incidents in the past month.
Oak Park police said the woman, who was in her mid-20s, was attacked and robbed in alley behind the 300 block of North Oak Park Avenue, just after she had parked her car on Superior Street. She had walked down the alley approaching the back door of a church, police said.
As in the other incidents, the robber came up from behind and grabbed the woman around the neck. He took her wallet and fled, police said.
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She was not injured, police said.
At least four other robberies have occurred in recent weeks along Lake Street near the Green Line, police said. The attacks have all occurred since March 30.
Police are not certain whether the latest incident is related.
The first in the string of robberies happened March 30 in the 200 block of Lake Street. A second incident took place on April 2, near Lake Street and Austin Boulevard. The third happened on April 4 on the 200 block of North Oak Park Avenue.
The victim in the robbery on April 4 was able to help police create a composite sketch of the suspect.
"I mean, he got $100, but he almost killed me," victim Lisa Dodge said. "He jumped me, he started strangling me. He threw me to the ground and started basically trying to kill me for my purse."
Another attack happened April 19 in the 200 block of South Harvey Avenue. The victim spoke exclusively CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot, and said she was screaming for help at the top of her lungs with a bloody nose.
"I walked outside of the garage and I was closing the back garage door, and the person just jumped on me from behind," she said. The robber got her purse, which contained $40.
The woman described her attacker as being about 5 feet 9 inches tall, 200 pounds, medium build, unknown age. A witness said the suspect ran from the Harvey Avenue alley to the driver's side of a light-colored newer model Ford sport-utility vehicle or Jeep Cherokee, and drove away westbound. Another witness described the car as possibly an older model.
Since the attacks, police have stepped up patrols, and the Chicago chapter of the Guardian Angels is providing escorts to people walking from the Green Line between Austin Boulevard and Harlem Avenue at night.
At a Junior Bronco baseball game Friday night, parents said they have noticed the beefed-up police presence.
"It's a little bit of a scary time, but I would say their response has been incredible," parent Leigh Ann Hughes told CBS 2's Mike Parker.
Anyone with any information regarding these incidents is asked to contact Oak Park police at 708-386-3800, or e-mail at police@oak-park.us. Information can be forwarded anonymously by calling 708-434-1636, or online at www.oak-park.us/police.
