Two men are in custody after a CTA Red Line passenger was robbed by a group of five offenders on a Red Line train in the Loop overnight, police said. The hold-up is at least the 14th mugging on the North Side stretch of the Red Line in the past month, according to police records.
This morning’s victim is a 23-year-old man who told police he was riding a northbound L around 2:30 a.m. when five men approached him as the train approached the State/Lake platform. The robbers grabbed the man, took his valuables and cash, then fled.
Police spotted two suspects at street level and took them into custody after brief foot chases—one at State and Randolph, the other at Clark and Randolph. Both suspects were identified by the victim and a CTA attendant, police said. Charges are pending.
Since August 5th, at least 13 other people have been robbed onboard Red Line trains or at Red Line stations, according to city records. Among the case CWBChicago has previously reported:
September 2nd • Jackson Red Line station
Around 7:45 a.m., a man reported that two armed men approached him on the train and one pulled out a knife while the other displayed a handgun and demanded his property. They fled after taking the man’s wallet and iPhone, police said.
The victim said both offenders are black men in their 30’s. The one who had a knife is about 5’11” tall. He wore a black shirt, black jeans with zippers on the sides, a red hat and a bandana. The man with the gun is about 6’3” tall and wore blue jean shorts, a black hat, sunglasses, and a red shirt.
August 29th • Addison station
Police said two men, ages 23 and 27, were robbed at gunpoint on the Addison Red Line platform around 3:15 a.m. The victims were sitting on a bench when three strangers walked up, displayed a handgun, and demanded their victims’ property.
The robbers boarded a southbound Red Line train with the victims’ backpacks, phones, wallets—and one of the victims’ shoes.
Police said the offenders were three black men in their 20’s. One had dreadlocks, stood 5’10” tall, and wore blue jeans with a blue hoodie. Another was about 6-feet tall wearing a dark hoodie with a towel wrapped around his head. And the third victim wore a scarf around his head, a gray hoodie, and flip-flops.
August 29th • North/Clybourn station
A 15-year-old boy is in custody, charged with felony robbery after he took a man’s phone at the North and Clybourn station around 10:30 p.m., police said. The 24-year-old victim was stepping off of a train with his phone in his hand when the offender wrestled it away and ran east on North Avenue, police said. Cops caught up with the thief in the 1400 block of North Hudson and the victim subsequently identified him as the offender, according to police. No further information is available about the teen because he is a juvenile.
August 28th • Monroe station
Two men robbed a CTA passenger at gunpoint aboard a northbound Red Line train in the Loop around 1:30 a.m., according to Chicago police. The victim said the offenders took his wallet, which contained about $60, and exited at the Monroe station. One suspect is described as male, black, 5’10” tall, slim, dressed in mostly white clothing. He had a tattoo over his right eye. The second man was also black, about 5’9” tall, skinny, and dressed in all black. He was armed with a black handgun and was wearing a fanny pack.
August 24th • Clark/Division station
Robert Pinkston, 36, of Riverdale is accused of robbing a man at gunpoint inside the Clark/Division Red Line station on August 24th. Pinkston had his hand in his jacket pocket as he approached a 28-year-old man from behind around 8:15 p.m. and told the victim “I have a gun. You know what this is,” prosecutors said. He allegedly ordered the victim to empty his pockets, took $45 from the man, and then fled.
Cops found Pinkston sitting at a nearby bus station. After he was identified by the victim, police searched Pinkston and found him to be in possession of $409 cash and a revolver that contained five live rounds and one spent round, according to court records. Judge Sophia Atcherson ordered Pinkston held without bail.
August 19th • State/Lake station
Prosecutors said Dimitrios Dixon brandished a box cutter and demanded a 59-year-old man’s property. Dixon got the man’s Ventra card, but the victim flagged down officers at street level and Dixon was quickly arrested, according to court records. A box cutter and the victim’s Ventra card were recovered, police said. Dixon is charged with Class X felony armed robbery. Judge Michael Clancy ordered him held without bail
August 13th • Wilson station
A train passenger reported that several male teenagers robbed him as he rode a northbound Red Line train, police said.
The victim said the teens approached him at Wilson, took his money and iPhone by force, and then fled around 1:55 a.m. One offender was black, 15-16 years old, with short hair. He was wearing a white tank top and blue jeans. Another was also black and 15-16 years old, but he wore a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and yellow shoes, according to police.
