South Loop robbery pattern is growing, CPD says in updated bulletin

A South Loop robbery offender that police warned about last month continues to target victims, and he appears to have added an accomplice to his act.

The new information comes from an updated bulletin from Area Three detectives who say the offender has struck at least three more times during February, most recently on Valentine’s Day.

Police previously said the man pushed victims to the ground and took their phones during afternoon hours on January 20 and 21 along three blocks of Michigan Avenue. Each time, he fled in a car that was waiting for him. One witness said the vehicle was blue or black.

Now, police have linked three more crimes to the pattern.

This map shows the approximate locations of six robberies police have linked to the robbers. | Multiplottr

At 12:50 p.m. on February 8, he robbed a victim who was walking on the 600 block of South Michigan, police said. Columbia College told its community members that the offender fled in a blue Mitsubishi sedan that headed south in an alley from near 75 East Harrison.

He pushed another victim to the ground and took their phone on the 1800 block of South Indiana around 11:40 a.m. on February 12, according to the CPD alert.

Then, he returned to the 1300 block of South Michigan with an accomplice around 9 p.m. on February 14, police said. The two offenders blocked the victim’s path and robbed the victim while implying they had a gun.

The earlier robberies occurred in the 1300 block of South Michigan at 1:50 p.m on January 20; the 1500 block of South Michigan at 12:40 p.m. on January 21; and the 1200 block of South Michigan at 12:55 p.m. on January 21.

Area Three detectives are handling the robberies. They can be reached at 312-744-8263.

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com