CHICAGO — At least eleven people were robbed at gunpoint Sunday morning during an hour-long robbery spree that stretched from Bucktown and Logan Square to the West Side, according to Chicago police reports.
The same group is believed to be responsible for all the holdups, which occurred in areas repeatedly hit by similar nighttime crime waves.
Sunday’s spree began around 12:27 a.m. outside a bar in the 2000 block of West Webster. Chicago police said four masked men exited a white sedan and robbed a 36-year-old woman at gunpoint.
Nearly identical robberies occurred over and over again for the next hour.
Based on preliminary information, robberies were reported:
- in the 1200 Block of North Damen
- in the 2700 block of North Milwaukee
- in the 2200 Block of West Webster
- in the 2600 Block of North Kedzie
- near the 2900 block of West Armitage
- in the 3000 block of North Kimball
- in the 3200 block of North Elston
- in 3100 block of North California Ave
- near Holstein Park, 2200 North Oakley
- in the 1700 block of North Western Avenue
The police response to the unfolding spree was somewhat hampered by a decision to dedicate local police district tactical resources to preventing car “sideshow” antics, a patrol officer told CWBChicago Sunday morning.
More robberies were reported to the west between Humboldt Park and South Lawndale.
The group responsible for Sunday’s robberies was described as four Black males in their late teens or early 20s. They wore ski masks and black hoodies and traveled in a white car, possibly a Hyundai Elantra. Some victims reported that a silver car traveled with the white vehicle.
Robbery surges, particularly during overnight hours, have plagued the area for months, despite occasional arrests.
The Shakespeare (14th) Police District’s robbery pace was up 20% year-over-year as of last Monday and up 63% compared to the same time in 2019, according to CPD’s CompStat report.
But even more robberies have been reported since the report was compiled.
Three women were robbed and one was shot in Logan Square on Monday night. Prosecutors charged one man with some of those incidents, but at least one robber remained on the loose.
At least three people were robbed at gunpoint within 20 minutes on Thursday morning in Logan Square. But no arrests were made.
The holdups began around 4:35 a.m. in the 2400 block of West Cortland. Police said three men got out of a blue sedan to attack and rob a 56-year-old man. They took his backpack and phone and fled.
The victim walked to a bus stop near the Western Blue Line, where he asked someone to call for help. EMS took him to St. Mary’s Hospital for treatment of a minor laceration, according to CPD.
Then, a 63-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint of his phone and wallet by three men in the 3200 block of West Fullerton at about 4:50 a.m. That victim, who was working on a scooter when the group confronted him, said the crew escaped in a red sedan.
About five minutes later, the third victim was robbed in the 2200 block of North California. Police said a 39-year-old woman was walking near the California Blue Line station when a blue sedan pulled up, and two offenders got out with firearms. They took her valuables, then escaped in the car.
The robbers were described as slender Black males in their mid to late teens who wore hoodies and masks.