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| The man said he was forced to lie on the ground in the 500 block of West Stratford. | Google |
A Lakeview man told police that he was robbed at gunpoint near Boystown early Saturday morning. No one is in custody.
The victim was walking in the 500 block of West Stratford around 2:10 a.m. when he was approached by a gunman who forced him to lie on the ground, police said. The offender ran toward Lake Shore Drive after collecting the man’s valuables, including an Apple Watch, iPhone, and wallet, according to a police report.
The offender was described as a black male in his 30’s who wore a red puffy jacket. He stands about 6’1” tall, weighs 200 pounds, and was last seen southbound on inner Lake Shore Drive.
Wrigleyville and Boystown this year recorded their second-best first quarter robbery stats since at least 2001, according to statistics from the city’s data portal. Only 12 robberies were reported in the area during the first three months of the year. That compares to 20 during Q1 last year; 25 during Q1 2017; and 40 during Q1 2016.
But there has been a definite uptick in muggings around the area since mid-April.
Also lending to uncertainty about what summer holds: Local police Commander Marc Buslik, whose strategies and management style have driven street crime to new lows, is retiring. His replacement is expected to be named at an 8 a.m. press conference today.
