A surge of robberies in the River North area has prompted police to issue their third warning about muggings in the neighborhood since last week. Detectives issue community alerts when they believe a person or group is responsible for a series of crimes. The fact that three separate alerts have been issued recently indicates that cops think at least three distinct groups are robbing people in the area.
In the latest alert, detectives identified a connection between robberies at 1 a.m. on Aug. 25th in the first block of West Elm; at 3:30 a.m. on Aug. 31 in the 1100 block of North La Salle; at 4:20 a.m. on Sept. 7 in the 200 block of West Ontario; at about 8 p.m. on Sept. 10 in the 300 block of North State; and on the morning of Sept. 11 in the 400 block of North Dearborn.
Police said a group of men has been approaching victims on the street, beating them up, and taking their valuables. Between three and five black males in their early- to mid-20’s are being sought for this set of crimes, according to the alert.
Any information about the pattern may be given to Area Central detectives at 312-747-8380.
Last Wednesday, police issued two community alerts for River North and nearby neighborhoods.
In one pattern, four people have been robbed by a gunman since late August, police said. The gunman is engaging people in conversation before he demands money and property while displaying a handgun or implying that he is armed with a gun.
Seven robberies were identified in the second alert. In those cases, one or two male offenders in their mid- to late-teens reportedly battered victims or used force to gain control of cellphones.
