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| A local businessman says these young men entered Clark Street stores on Saturday, taking money from tip jars. |
A group of young thieves made their way up Clark Street in Lincoln Park on Saturday afternoon, following a well-established pattern of behavior that Chicago businesses have seen many times.
“Three teenagers came into my mom’s shop with one being a lookout and the other two asking who else was in the shop,” a local businessperson told us last night. “They were asking dumb questions to kill time and took $2 from her tip jar.”
The three fled after a nearby merchant–tipped off that the woman was in distress–came to check on her.
“They then proceeded to a nearby restaurant and did the same thing.”
All of the affected businesses are located on Clark Street between Webster and Wrightwood.
Chicago has repeatedly seen waves of similar crimes in recent years—usually in the colder months.
Typically, groups of three or four teens will enter salons, spas, and small retail shops along the major corridors. Once inside, some team members distract customers and employees while others pick up unattended valuables, including key fobs and phones.
The team on Clark Street yesterday were 14-18 years old, our source said. One is very tall, wearing red. The youngest one is very short. The third is about 5’6” and wore a black hat.
