Two suspected offenders are in custody after an off-duty cop and witnesses pursued them following another daylight armed robbery near the Wellington Brown Line station on Sunday.
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The two offenders were chased by an off-duty cop, bystanders, and responding officers into an Illinois Masonic Medical Center parking garage around 3PM Sunday after a man was pushed to the ground, battered, and robbed at gunpoint near Barry and Kenmore, witnesses said.
One man was taken into custody in a garage stairwell. The other was found hiding under a vehicle on the third floor parking deck.
The victim—a university professor in his early 60’s according to sources—was treated at Masonic for injuries suffered in the attack. He lives near the crime scene.
Police said the offender who hid under a vehicle was treated for injuries he received by slamming his head into the car’s undercarriage.
CWB Chicago is withholding the arrestees’ names until charges are approved.
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| Map of armed robberies reported since July 1. Blue cases reported last weekend. Red this week. |
A concerned neighbor called 911 moments before the mugging and reported two suspicious men looking into cars and houses near Barry and Seminary. The description of those men closely resembled the robbery offenders, according to police.
Witnesses and the victim were able to identify both offenders as well a gun that police recovered from one of the men. An Illinois Masonic security guard found the victim’s wallet late Sunday night, police said.
Area North detectives decided not to issue a community alert after 10 robberies were reported in Lakeview and nearby Lincoln Park over the Fourth of July weekend.
Now, investigators will be looking to see if the arrested men were involved in any of those hold-ups as well as five armed robberies that were reported near the Belmont, Wellington, and Fullerton CTA stations on Saturday.
The description of Sunday’s suspects is similar to descriptions of the armed offenders given last weekend and again on Saturday: two black men in their late teens or 20’s, one taller than the other, one with dreadlocks or cornrows, and armed with a silver and black or gray semi-automatic handgun.
