A man and woman are charged with carrying out a 10-day robbery spree that stretched from Uptown to Lakeview to Hyde Park before cops caught up with them last week.
Prosecutors on Sunday said Alexus Crutcher, 21, Davon McCoy, 20, and unknown co-offenders used McCoy’s car to ride around the city and were recorded on multiple gas stations’ surveillance cameras as they used victims’ credit cards after the hold-ups.
The string of robberies began with two incidents in Wrigleyville and Boystown on October 19.
Around 8:50 p.m. that night, a woman was walking home with some bags when McCoy and unknown accomplices knocked her to the ground and stole her purse in the 800 block of West Cornelia, prosecutors said. Crutcher and McCoy are allegedly seen using one of the victims’ credit cards at a nearby gas station a short time later. The camera system reportedly captured clear images of McCoy’s car and its license plate.
About an hour later, two men pushed a 40-year-old Wrigleyville resident to the ground and tried to rob him in the 1100 block of West Grace. The man fought back as the robbers tried to take his earbuds and remove things from his pockets. All of the offenders fled empty-handed.
Prosecutors said a CPD surveillance camera captured images of McCoy’s car parking near the robbery scene moments before he and two other men emerged and attacked the victim. The offenders allegedly ran back to the car after failing to get anything from the man. Crutcher admitted to driving the car and dropping the men off, but she denied knowing that they were going to try to rob someone, according to prosecutors.
Then, around 5:40 p.m. on October 26, two men knocked a man to the ground as they walked in an alley behind the 1200 block of West Winnemac. The offenders demanded the victim’s property and went through his pockets to take his wallet and phone. Part of the attack was captured on cellphone video by a witness.
Less than 15 minutes later, Crutcher is seen using one of the victim’s credit cards at a gas station while McCoy walks around the store, prosecutors said.
Finally, around 1:45 p.m. on October 29, a group of offenders knocked a woman to the ground as she stopped to take pictures of a flower on the 5100 block of Kimbark in Hyde Park. They fled after taking the woman’s earbuds and purse.
Once again, a gas station surveillance system recorded Crutcher using the victim’s credit cards at a nearby gas station while McCoy wandered around the store, prosecutors said.
Police pulled McCoy’s car over a short time later and allegedly found the last victim’s ID and wallet inside the vehicle. Crutcher’s purse contained Chinese currency that had been inside the woman’s wallet, prosecutors said.
Crutcher and McCoy both admitted to their involvement in the crimes, according to prosecutors.
“The state tells me [Crutcher] as well as two other knuckleheads went on a crime spree,” Judge John Lyke said after hearing the allegations. “Terrorizing at least four people [who were] just minding their own business, taking pictures, walking down the street.”
“She needs to make better choices of which men she hangs out with,” Lyke advised.
Prosecutors charged McCoy with four felony counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery. Crutcher is charged with three counts of robbery one count of attempted robbery.
Lyke ordered Crutcher held in lieu of $200,000 bail. Bail for McCoy was set at $400,000. Lyke said they would need to go onto electronic monitoring if they can post 10% deposit bonds.
The judge also ordered McCoy held without bail for violating the terms of “second chance probation” that he received after being convicted of felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle and burglary.