Prosecutors have charged three adults with robbing two college students at gunpoint in Lincoln Park Tuesday. A juvenile was charged earlier this week.
CWBChicago has learned police arrested one of the adults in connection with a similar armed robbery on the West Side in October, but he was released after prosecutors only charged him with a misdemeanor.
Around 8:54 p.m. Tuesday, two 18-year-old men told police they were grabbed and robbed by two offenders who both displayed handguns in the 2600 block of North Greenview, CPD spokesperson Kellie Bartoli said. The robbers got away with the victims’ wallets and phones.
Cops tracked one of the stolen phones to a gas station in Logan Square and officers pulled over a vehicle that was traveling in sync with the device’s pings, according to police.
The victims’ phones and other property were found in the car along with a handgun, a look-alike firearm, and charge cards bearing different names, Bartoli said. An individual familiar with the robbery said someone used one of the stolen phones to steal money from its owner’s account via Venmo.
Prosecutors charged a 17-year-old boy with two counts of armed robbery and possession of the replica handgun Wednesday.
Now, three adults who were in the car with him are also charged. Brittany Polk, age 22, and 19-year-old Daijah Brown are both charged with two felony counts of armed robbery with a firearm.
Darvea McClay, 18, is charged with three counts of armed robbery with a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of a high capacity magazine.
In addition to Tuesday’s hold-up, McClay is charged with robbing a man near Lincoln Square on November 20.
Around 7:04 p.m. that night, two offenders robbed a 26-year-old man at gunpoint on the sidewalk in the 5000 block of North Rockwell. They demanded the victim’s property and got away with a backpack that contained a Nintendo Switch and other valuables, according to a CPD report.Â
On October 29, McClay was arrested after an armed robbery on the West Side. In that case, two offenders both displayed handguns and robbed victims of three phones in the 3000 block of West Diversey.
Minutes after the hold-up, police tracked one of the stolen phones to a nearby service station. Officers found McClay and another man in possession of the three phones nearby, according to police records.
Prosecutors only approved misdemeanor charges of theft of lost or mislaid property against McClay. He was released on his own recognizance less than six hours after being taken into custody, CPD records show. The other man was also charged with misdemeanor theft and released.
Police have been handling a wave of robberies and carjackings across the North Side in recent weeks. Hold-ups in the Town Hall (19th) Police District were up more than 100% in November compared to the same period last year. Cops assigned to Town Hall patrol the area between Fullerton, Lawrence, the Chicago River, and Lake Michigan.
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