A 16-year-old juvenile is the first person to be charged in connection with a series of robberies that claimed at least twelve victims in Streeterville between Christmas Eve and Jan. 16.
And the victim who’s helping to bring him to justice is more than four times his age.
The woman was walking on the 800 block of North Dewitt around 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 16 when she noticed a maroon Chrysler 300 shadowing her. Suddenly, a man jumped out of the car’s passenger seat, used his shoulder to knock the woman to the ground, and took her purse.
Chicago police presented the woman with a photo line-up that included the teen after he was arrested in connection with a suburban robbery.
All of the vehicles that the Streeterville robbery crew used were reported stolen in the suburbs.
Police records indicate that the robberies did, indeed, end after the woman was targeted on Jan. 16th.
But there were at least eleven other victims before her, more than half of whom were robbed on the 800 and 900 blocks of Dewitt, just like she was.
Prosecutors charged the 16-year-old with felony robbery of a victim over age 60. No further information is available about him because he’s a juvenile.
Area Central detectives are working to see if they can connect the teen to any of the other muggings. But, so far, none of the other victims have been able to finger him as their attacker.
