Man Honored For Chasing Down Cell Phone Robber On July 4th
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 51-year-old real estate broker who chased down an 18-year-old high school athlete who had stolen a woman's cell phone received a Chicago City Council award Wednesday at the scene of the crime.
WBBM Newsradio's John Cody reports Gary Dailey, founder of Housequest Realty, received an honorary police badge and a City Council resolution in his honor, from Ald. Edward Burke (14th), at the same underpass where Dailey started and ended the chase.
Man Honored For Catching Cell Phone Robber
Dailey, the brother of a Chicago police officer, said he was out for a run on his birthday on the 4th of July, when someone tried to grab his cell phone, during a so-called "wilding" incident on the lakefront.
A group of about 50 young people were in the middle of the Division Street tunnel to the lakefront, screaming, pushing pedestrians, and throwing things at passersby.
Dailey slapped the suspect's hand away, and then turned to see another teenager twisting a young mother's arm, as she held her child's hand in one hand, and her cell phone in the other.
"There was a very tall gentleman – I'm 6'3", and he was probably at least 6'5" – twisting the woman's arm, and her face was grimacing, and she was holding the hand of a very young child, and he ripped the phone out of her hand," Dailey said. "I got mad."
When the young man ran off with the woman's phone, Dailey gave chase; following the teen three blocks north, then circling back to the scene where it all started. Police were there, waiting with handcuffs, and arrested Quejuan Henley, who was charged with felony robbery.
Dailey said his background as a Lane Tech track star, marathon runner, and regular jogger allowed him to catch the much younger phone snatcher.
