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| Jackson (left) and Kirkman lured at least nine victims into armed robberies using Grindr, police and a source said. |
Two men used the gay hook-up app Grindr to lure at least nine victims into armed robbery ambushes in Rogers Park since October 14, according to police and city sources. Police on Thursday set up a sting operation that led to the arrests and charging of the suspects.
25-year-old Stephen Jackson of Evanston and 28-year-old Trenell Kirkman of Blue Island were charged with a series of crimes and ordered held without bail Saturday afternoon.
Jackson and Kirkman used the app to arrange meet-ups and draw men into a gangway in the 7600 block of North Bosworth where each victim was held at gunpoint and robbed, police said.
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Cops on Thursday afternoon conducted an undercover investigation that led to Jackson and Kirkman’s arrests in the same block of Bosworth, according to police.
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| Map showing locations of seven of the reported armed robberies. | BatchGeo |
City records show seven armed robberies in the 7600 block of North Bosworth since the spree began: at 11:25 p.m. on October 14; 3:30 p.m. on October 15; 6:40 p.m. October 25; 6 a.m. on October 27; 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on October 30; and 8:30 p.m. on November 3.
Before the duo’s alleged robbery string, there had not been a robbery on that block since March 2013.
Jackson is charged with three felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm, felony attempted armed robbery with a firearm, felony unlawful possession of a credit-debit card, and misdemeanor possession of a firearm with an expired ownership ID card.
Kirkman is charged with four felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm, felony attempted armed robbery with a firearm and misdemeanor solicitation of a sexual act.
State records show that Kirkman is on parole for narcotics.
