CHICAGO — Four robberies were reported in under 30 minutes in Lincoln Park on Saturday morning, with most of the crimes occurring near the DePaul University campus.
The robberies began around 1:15 a.m. in the 2200 block of North Sheffield. A group of women reported that they were walking when three men emerged from an alley. The men battered and robbed the women, taking wallets, phones, and purses.
An officer at the scene said the suspects were three Black men in their mid-20s. One had facial hair, and another wore an orange winter cap. They fled in a red SUV.
At about the same time, two more women were robbed in the 900 block of West Fullerton, followed by another victim in the 1700 block of North Clybourn.
Another woman was robbed in the 1200 block of West Fullerton around 1:35 a.m. She told police that three men traveling in a red SUV attacked and robbed her as she entered her apartment building.
Update: DePaul has issued a statement about the robberies. Story here.
Update September 10, 6:03 p.m.— Chicago police have issued a community alert that links the three DePaul-area robberies to a group of three or four men.
The alert said the men approached women on the street and demanded their property, saying, “Give me everything” or “Give me all you got.” They punch any victims who refuse to cooperate in the head and body, police said.
CPD said the crew struck three times on Saturday: at 1 a.m. in the 2200 block of North Sheffield; at 1:20 a.m. in the 900 block of West Fullerton; and at 1:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of West Fullerton.
They described the group as Black men between 20 and 26 years old, standing 5’6″ to 5’8″ tall. Each wore black face masks and black hoodies.
Anyone with information about the crimes can contact Area Three detectives about crime pattern P23-3-065 at 312-744-8263.