For the second time in a month, police are investigating the reported armed abduction and robbery of a pedestrian in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.
Some CWBChicago readers were skeptical when they read our Jan. 15th report of a 68-year-old man who reported being abducted and forced to make ATM withdrawals after he left a bar near Armitage and Halsted around 1:15 a.m.
Now there’s a second case to report in the same area and police, a source says, believe the cases may be connected.
A 29-year-old man yesterday told police that an SUV pulled alongside him as he walked on the 2600 block of North Sheffield around 2:30 a.m. A man emerged from the vehicle, displayed a silver handgun, and forced him to get into the car, CPD spokesperson Kellie Bartoli said.
The victim followed the gunman’s orders and got into the back seat of the SUV, which was occupied by two additional men. Police said two of the offenders went through the victim’s belongings as the third man drove around the neighborhood until they told him to get out on the 800 block of West Willow. His wallet and phone were taken.
Police said the victim described the offenders only as men between 20- and 30-years-old. They were last seen westbound on Willow in a gray or silver SUV.
The experience described by this week’s victim is similar to what the Jan. 15th victim reported.
According to police records, the first victim told police that two men pushed him from behind, implied they had a weapon, and forced him into a vehicle as he walked on the 1700 block of North Halsted.
The victim was driven to an ATM where the offenders forced him to surrender his PIN so they could withdraw cash. Then, the men drove the victim to an alley on the 2400 block of North Lincoln and forced him from the car.
No one is in custody for either crime. Area Central detectives are investigating.
