Nearly a dozen people robbed at gunpoint within 30 minutes on Chicago's Southwest Side
CHICAGO (CBS) — Nearly a dozen people were robbed at gunpoint in Brighton Park and Back of the Yards in less than half an hour overnight Sunday into Monday.
So far, police have reported four incidents beginning just after 1 a.m. on Monday. Police said each time, two men approached at least two people and forced them to the ground.
A total of 11 people were targeted by the two armed men, who police said were using a stolen car for their arrival and getaway.
"We're trying to identify who these individuals are," said Ald. Ray Lopez (15th). "Police know the car; know the license plate. But again, being stolen, we're just trying to get as much information as we can."
Lopez said the crimes are connected.
"We are seeing a rise of these robbery crews descending on our neighborhoods once again," he said.
The first robbery took place in the 4600 block of South California Avenue in Brighton Park around 1:09 a.m. A 33-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl were walking on the sidewalk when two armed men approached and forced them to the ground. The offenders went through the victims' pockets and demanded property.
At 1:31 a.m., two women—ages 40 and 50—were on the sidewalk in the 4800 block of South Seeley Avenue in Back of the Yards when two armed mean approached, forced them onto the ground at gunpoint, and took their property.
A mere five minutes later at 1:36 a.m., the robbers targeted three women—ages 46, 42, and 21—and two men—ages 52 and 44—in the 4200 block of South Richmond Street, again in Brighton Park. These victims were also forced to the ground as the armed robbers went through their pockets, police said.
At 1:37 a.m., the robbers targeted a 42-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman in the 2500 block of West 46th Street in Brighton Park. They were also ordered to lie on the ground as the robbers took their property.
Chicago Police said robberies are on the decline the past two months. But the data show while robberies in the city are down this year to date—at 6,135 robberies so far this year compared with 6,723 for the same period last year—they are nonetheless at higher numbers than have been seen since 2019.
"We have to catch this in the bud early," Lopez said.
Lopez said the robbery task force Chicago Police announced early this summer is working to investigate the spree.
The robbery task force is a collaboration between the CPD Bureau of Detectives, Bureau of Patrol, the Bureau of Counterterrorism.
Chicago Police said, "They work together to identify and investigate robbery patterns, while also focusing on strategic deployments to address these patterns."
"My hope is that the robbery task force will be able to inspire some confidence with many in our communities to call 911 to come forward with information so that we can start holding these individuals accountable," Lopez said.
Chicago Police late Monday were still investigating these robberies, and no one was in custody.
