Police Release Surveillance Images In Violent Home Invasion On Fullerton Parkway
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police late Wednesday released surveillance images of three men suspected in a violent home invasion in an apartment building on Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park.
The men barged into a woman's home, handcuffed her, taped her mouth shut, and then beat and robbed her, police said.
As CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reported, residents were wondering all day Wednesday how the trio got into the building Tuesday night.
One of the photos shows two of the three suspects at the main entrance of the building – with one man holding a phone to his ear.
The three men are later seen walking in a hallway on an unspecified floor of the building and turning a corner.
The home invasion and attack happened around 9:10 p.m. Tuesday in the Beachwalk Apartments, at 420 W. Fullerton Pkwy. just east of Clark Street. The building is mostly made up of studio and one bedroom apartments.
Police said the 32-year-old woman was inside her top-floor apartment when she heard a knock on the door. When she answered her door, three men rushed into inside. She did not know the men, and they covered the peep hole while knocking, according to a police source.
A police source said the men were all armed with guns and repeatedly slapped and hit her in the head and on her face and hit her in the head with an unknown object.
One man held her against the wall while the other two searched the apartment, the source said. She was asked, "Where is the money? We know you have money here."
When she told them she didn't have any money one of them put his gun inside her mouth and said, "Do you want to die today?" He then said, "We should shoot her and leave," the police source said.
The woman was then forced to lie face down on the bed where she was handcuffed and had her mouth taped shut. The source said the men told her not to move or look at them and they would be back.
The men went on to steal miscellaneous items from the apartment before running off, police said. A police source said they took a ceramic container filled with cash, her purse and wallet and a laptop.
The woman then ran to a neighbor's apartment to get help after the violent robbery. A 911 call said the victim walked into the neighbor's apartment handcuffed and saying someone was "after her."
A police source said the neighbor was able to take the cuffs off her while waiting for police to arrive.
The woman was transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where her condition was stabilized, according to police. She was still recovering Wednesday.
On Wednesday, outside the building, CBS 2's Audrina Bigos counted four cameras just on one side. Another camera is mounted inside the lobby.
There is more security – including a call box at the front door. To get in, you need either a key or a renter to buzz you. There is even a sign inside the entrance reading, "You can improve security by denying access to anyone you do not know."
Still, the suspects found their way in.
Revised descriptions of the suspects were included in a police community alert Wednesday night.
The first man was described as an African-American male between 35 and 45, standing 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 9 inches tall and wearing all black clothing. The victim said he weighed 150 to 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair in braids. He was wearing black pants, a black shirt, black shoes and a gold necklace.
The second suspect was described as an African-American male between the ages of 26 and 28 with a light complexion and a thin build, wearing a white long-sleeve shirt. He had brown eyes and black hair and was wearing blue jeans, the victim earlier told police.
The suspect was described as an African-American male between 26 and 28 years old, standing between 5 feet 6 and 5 feet 9 inches tall. Police said he was wearing a red scarf or hoody with a black coat over it, and had shaved hair on the sides that was braided on top.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263.
