Chicago — At least 11 more armed robberies and carjackings were reported during two sprees on Sunday afternoon and early Monday across the near west and north sides of Chicago, according to Chicago police reports.
More than 76 similar armed robberies have been reported in sprees that have popped up almost daily in the same areas since December 2. But the Chicago Police Department seems unable to end the crime wave, even after a concealed carry holder put one of the robbery crews out of commission.
According to Chicago police, Monday morning’s robberies began around 3 a.m. in the 2600 block of West Rice in Humboldt Park. Two armed men robbed a 42-year-old man at gunpoint as he exited his car.
Then, a string of similar holdups unfolded:
- At 3:18 a.m., a 42-year-old man was in his car in the 4300 block of North Leavitt when four men pulled up in a silver sedan and robbed him of his phone and wallet at gunpoint.
- Around 3:45 a.m., a 36-year-old woman was robbed while walking in the 3100 block of West Grace. Three armed men pistol-whipped her, took her property, and fled in a silver vehicle. The woman was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment.
- Moments later, a 20-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint by three men in the 2400 block of West Berwyn in Lincoln Square. The offenders rifled through the man’s car, then escaped in a silver vehicle.
- Three men robbed another man at gunpoint in the 2100 block of West Granville around 3:50 a.m.
- A McDonald’s employee was robbed outside the restaurant in the 4500 block of North Kedzie around 3:52 a.m.
- At about 3:53 a.m., three armed men robbed a man who was unloading his vehicle in the 3100 block of West Leland. One of the robbers punched the victim in the face before the group fled in a silver sedan.
- A man and woman were robbed as they got into their car in the 2300 block of West Superior around 4 a.m. The offenders escaped in a silver sedan.
The robbery crew used a stolen Hyundai that had a broken rear side window during each of the holdups, according to a law enforcement source. That car was found abandoned in East Garfield Park around 4:30 a.m.
More robberies were reported on Sunday afternoon and evening, according to CPD records:
- A group of about five people robbed a woman and a man at gunpoint in the 3000 block of West Grace around 2:20 p.m.
- Two carloads of robbers mugged at least two victims in the 800 block of North Oakley around 2:45 p.m. Both of the cars used by the robbers were stolen Hyundais with broken side windows.
- At about 9:20 p.m., a man was carjacked of his 2022 Honda in the 200 block of West Race in West Town. The offender put an object, possibly a gun, to the victim’s stomach during the hijacking. Accomplices followed the carjacked vehicle in a black SUV.
Chicago police have struggled to control a wave of robbery sprees that have popped on an almost daily basis since December 2. About 15 holdups were reported in the areas from Friday night into Saturday morning. On Thursday, seven robberies were committed.
Chicago police said in a community alert that holdups were reported last Wednesday in the:
- 2400 block of W Fullerton Ave at 2:08 a.m.
- 1500 block of N Ashland Ave at 2:54 a.m.
- 2700 block of W Augusta Blvd at 3:05 a.m.
- 1500 block of N Western Ave at 4:15 a.m.
- 2700 block of N Central Ave at 4:21 a.m.
- 4000 block of N Central Ave at 4:42 a.m.
- 5300 block W Berenice Ave at 4:44 a.m.
- 5200 block of W North Ave at 5:00 a.m.
- 2300 block of W Rice St at 5:30 a.m.
- 3100 block of W Division St at 5:44 a.m.
- 1600 block of N Cicero Ave at 6:20 a.m.
Similar robberies were reported further west on Tuesday morning. In a separate CPD alert about those crimes, police said robberies were reported in the:
- 3800 block of West Ohio at 6:30 a.m.
- 1000 block of North Central Park at 6:35 a.m.
- 3200 block of West Huron at 6:45 a.m.
- 1000 block of North Ridgeway at 6:50 a.m.
- 3300 block of West Grand at 7:00 a.m.
- 3700 block of West Thomas at 9:28 a.m.
At least seven more robberies occurred early Monday morning in and near Wicker Park. A car used in some of those robberies was also used a short time later by four people who tried to rob a concealed carry holder in the Austin neighborhood. He shot three of the offenders, and prosecutors filed charges in the case on Wednesday.
In two other community alerts, Chicago police linked more than armed robberies across the area. Those crimes were reported in the:
- 2100 block of W. Cullerton St on December 2 at 12:45 a.m.
- 2600 block of W. Iowa St on December 2 at 1:00 a.m.
- 900 block of N. Western Ave on December 2 at 1:05 p.m.
- 800 block of N. Rockwell St on December 2 at 1:19 a.m.
- 3400 Block of W. Armitage Ave on December 2 at 1:21 a.m.
- 3600 Block of W. Shakespeare Ave on December 2 at 1:25 a.m.
- 3400 block of W. Irving Park Rd on December 2 at 1:39 a.m.
- 4000 block of W. Wellington Ave on December 2 at 1:40 a.m.
- 3100 block of N. Pulaski Rd on December 2 between 2 and 2:30 a.m.
- 4000 block of W. Fullerton Ave on December 2 at 2:10 a.m.
- 2200 block of W. Superior St on December 2 at 7:11 p.m.
- 800 block of N. California Ave on December 2 at 7:18 p.m.
- 1200 block of W. Race Ave on December 2 at 7:45 p.m.
- 1500 block of W. Walton St on December 3 between 7:45 p.m. – 7:55 p.m.
- 1800 block of W. Hubbard St on December 3 at 8:00 p.m.
- 2100 block of W. Ohio St on December 3 at 8:07 p.m.
- 1400 block of W. Superior St on December 3 at 8:20 p.m.
- 700 block of N. Hoyne Ave on December 3 at 8:30 p.m.
- 1000 block of N. Spaulding Ave on December 4 at 2:00 a.m.
- 900 block of N. Damen Ave on December 4 at 2:10 a.m.
- 1500 block of W. Augusta Blvd on December 4 at 2:15 a.m.
- 3000 block of W. Palmer Blvd on December 4 at 2:45 a.m.
The crews have consistently been described as Black males in their teens or 20s who wear ski masks and dark clothing. Each team has three or four members traveling together.
On November 25, at least nine robberies were reported during daylight robbery sprees in West Town and West Ridge. Four days earlier, three similar robberies were reported in Humboldt Park, Wicker Park, and Logan Square.
On November 19, a string of robberies and hijackings were reported from West Ridge to the Loop. And on Thursday, November 17, a group of six to eight male and female offenders traveled in two cars to carry out a series of robberies and carjackings that stretched across the north and northwest sides.