New Rash Of Robberies, Carjackings Reported In Lincoln Park, Lakeview
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Police on Thursday issued a warning about a rash of robberies and carjackings in Lincoln Park and Lakeview.
The robberies have all happened within the past four days. In each incident, two to four assailants came up to lone victims on the public way and demanded money at gunpoint or by force. In two of the robberies, the assailants took the victims' vehicles, police said.
Afterward, the robbers fled on foot or in a vehicle they had parked nearby, police said.
The robberies happened at the following times and locations:
• At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20, in the 600 block of West Wrightwood Avenue;
• At 6:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21, in the 3800 block of North Fremont Street;
• At 7:10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21, in the 900 block of West Oakdale Avenue;
• At 8:18 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21, in the 1700 block of West Wrightwood Avenue;
• At 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, in the 2500 block of North Seminary Avenue.
Police earlier this week said in the Oakdale Avenue incident, a 22-year-old woman was in a Nissan when one assailant came up and grabbed her belongings from inside the driver's side door, police said. Two more assailants then came up to the passenger's side doors and took more items from the car, police said.
The suspects in that incident then got into a dark-colored sport-utility vehicle and fled, police said. The victim was not injured and refused medical attention. The suspects did not take the car, police said.
In the five robberies, three of the suspects were described as Black males between the ages of 15 and 26. One stood 5 feet 8 inches tall with a medium complexion, another stood 6 feet 2 inches tall with a medium complexion, and a third stood 6 feet tall with a dark complexion.. A fourth suspect was described as being between 19 and 23 years old. Police did not specify what they were wearing.
The suspects left in a dark-colored vehicle in two of the robberies and a white vehicle in the third, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Three detectives at (312) 744-8263.
Police did not specify which of these recent robberies involved cars being taken. But they come amid a carjacking crisis across Chicago, which has already left at least two victims shot dead.
This past Monday evening, Shuai Guan, 33, was shot and killed by carjackers who targeted him outside his home on Union Avenue near 30th Street in the Bridgeport neighborhood. The investigation reveals that Guan double-parked to check the mail. Several gunmen pulled up in two stolen cars, demanding his Jeep.
He gave up the keys and the Jeep then backed away.
"No, they didn't take the car," Guan's widow, Hongyu Bai, told CBS 2 Tuesday night. "They don't know how to drive the car."
Mad at that fact, the carjackers fired a single shot, leaving a 4-year-old without a father.
On Thursday, Dec. 3, Williams, 65, was leaving the Let's Get Poppin popcorn store at 11758 S. Western Ave. in the Morgan Park neighborhood and was walking to his vehicle, when a four-door dark-colored sedan pulled up and four men got out and bum rushed him, police said. Surveillance video shows Williams leaving the popcorn shop, where he had gone for twice a week for snacks and conversation for more than 25 years.
The video showed three armed men hopping out of another car and coming at Williams.
Williams pulled his gun and fired at one of the suspect, more shots were fired. Williams was hit in the abdomen and later died.
Two teenage suspects have now been charged in Williams' murder.
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