CHICAGO — A group of men implied they had firearms as they raided the shelves of the Prada store on Oak Street on Sunday afternoon. It is the third time this month that a top-shelf retailer has been flat-out robbed on or near the Magnificent Mile. Another three stores in the area have been burglarized.
A Chicago police officer was just steps away as the robbery went down at 30 East Oak around 12:56 p.m. He hopped on his radio to call for backup as the crew escaped in a blue Toyota Camry. But the robbers were quicker than the cops, and they got away.
Up to seven men, all wearing masks and gloves, barged into the store and gathered merchandise from the shelves. An officer at the scene said the crew got away with about $50,000 worth of goods, based on the store’s initial estimate.
CPD officers radioed that they saw the getaway car heading south on Lake Shore Drive near Grant Park a few minutes after the robbery. They did not pursue the vehicle.
The group was described as young Black men wearing hoodies: one yellow, two brown, and the rest of an unknown color.
On Tuesday afternoon, two men displayed handguns as they robbed MCM, a luxury leather goods and clothing retailer at 540 North Michigan. One man pointed a gun at the store’s security guard while the other man collected merchandise from the displays.
An officer at the scene said store employees believed three handbags and three backpacks with a combined value of just under $8,000 were taken.
On August 5, an armed man forced his way through the back door of the DIOR boutique, 931 North Rush, after closing time. Employees were still inside the business when the man broke in, pointed a gun at them, and fled with merchandise, police said.
Prosecutors have charged Anthony Bowens, 53, with that crime.
Just hours after the DIOR robbery, up to eight men broke into Bottega Veneta, a luxe leather goods store at 800 North Michigan. The retailer specializes in high-end leather goods like purses and shoes. Handbags at the store can retail for more than $4,000 each.
Last weekend, a smash-and-grab burglary crew broke through the front glass of MAC Cosmetics, located two doors down from the MCM store, and stole merchandise early Saturday morning.
Police said seven or eight men entered the store by smashing a front window. Once inside, they gathered shoes and clothing, then fled in two vehicles.