One of the best ways to train your gut instinct is to learn how street criminals operate. And recently-posted footage of a South Side robbery provides an excellent opportunity for all of us to learn a little more about the bad guys.
Police say the robbery seen in these images and on the video below was reported just south of Chinatown at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 2. Video of the incident, posted by Chicago police, provides an excellent opportunity to learn from the criminals’ playbook.
The soon-to-be robbery victim appears to be doing everything right.
The sun is shining. She’s walking next to an intersection where one car after another obeys a stop sign. Her phone is tucked away. Her head is up, seemingly alert. Yet, suddenly, a man sneaks up behind her. She seems to quicken her pace, but it’s too late. The robbery unfolds.
She struggles. He flings her to the ground. Purse in hand, he runs away to catch up with his accomplice who’s waiting in a nearby car.
Lessons learned:
• Even if no one is behind you, someone could suddenly appear by slipping out of a car in traffic. A similar technique was seen in a video lesson that we posted in November.
• You won’t be able to remember much from the incident. Instead, focus on remembering just a couple of unique things about what’s happening. Clothing is easy to change. Tattoos, scars, a limp, and (sometimes) license plates are more difficult to alter and easier to identify.
• Right now. Before you do anything else. Learn how to track your phone. More and more often, Chicago police are asking robbery and theft victims to log into their phone accounts on a computer, iPad, or another person’s phone so offenders may be located. It’s important that you be prepared with your account log-in and password should you ever find yourself in that unfortunate situation. But you have to set the phone up in advance.
Previous Video Lessons
• VIDEO: Wicker Park Robbery Video Provides Learning Moment (Jan 16, 2018)
• VIDEO: Chinatown Mugging Provides Lessons For All (Nov 15, 2017)
