CHICAGO — The hits just keep coming and coming. From carjackings in Bucktown and West Rogers Park to a street robbery spree in the West Loop, there’s plenty to tell you about today as Chicago police continue to struggle with the city’s seemingly endless violent crime surge.
As Ald. Daniel La Spata (1st) wrapped up a “public safety town hall” on Monday evening, a tow truck driver was being robbed at gunpoint in his ward.
The 55-year-old driver was unloading a vehicle in the 2100 block of North Maplewood when a white SUV, possibly an Audi, pulled up around 7:55 p.m., according to a Chicago police spokesperson. Four men exited the car with guns and robbed the victim of his property, including a 9-millimeter handgun he carried for protection.
About 15 minutes earlier, three armed men carjacked another man of a white SUV in Bucktown. He also lost a computer and phone in the robbery, which unfolded around 7:35 p.m. near Cortland and Wood.
It’s not clear if those two crimes are connected. However, several robberies that occurred late Monday night into this morning are believed to have links.
Shortly after 10 p.m., a man was pistol-whipped and robbed as he withdrew money from a drive-up ATM at Chase Bank, 6350 North McCormick in West Rogers Park. The robbers jumped out of a black sedan while wearing masks and brandishing rifles, according to a CPD report.
Rifles were also used by men who carjacked a driver in the 2000 block of West Howard around 10:40 p.m. The crew forced a driver from his white Infiniti Q50 and drove away, followed by accomplices in a black Honda Civic.
Another robbery followed around 11:30 p.m. near the 3300 block of West Hutchinson in Albany Park, and yet another occurred in the 3000 block of Wes Carroll around 12:15 a.m. There, a 23-year-old man was on the sidewalk when three robbers exited a white SUV and took his wallet and backpack at gunpoint.
At least three robberies were reported in the West Loop beginning around 12:53 a.m. in the 400 block of North Aberdeen. A 25-year-old man told police he was on the sidewalk when three robbers exited a white SUV and stuck a gun in his face. They took his wallet, keys, and backpack. According to a source familiar with the details, the victim worked at a nearby bar.
Near a hotel in the 100 block of North May, three armed men robbed a Lyft driver shortly after 1 a.m. Three masked men arrived and departed in a white SUV with a broken rear window, according to officers who responded.
Police said a 33-year-old man was robbed by two men who each displayed guns in the 1100 block of West Van Buren around 2:10 a.m. They took his wallet and phone, then fled in a dark gray SUV.
Finally, at 2:42 a.m., a man was robbed in the Home Depot parking lot at 3500 North Kimball in Avondale. Police said two men arrived in a black SUV and took his backpack and wallet at gunpoint.
In nearly all the robberies, victims described the suspects as young Black males wearing masks.
No arrests have been announced.
Robbery sprees have been popping up on an almost daily basis for months. Our reporting has been exhaustive (and exhausting), but here are some recent stories:
- Solo Chicago cop chases armed robbers across the city: ‘I’m not going to terminate myself until we crash’ (September 25, 2023)
- Robbery victim shot in Humboldt Park as crime sprees continue (September 24, 2023)
- Rifle-wielding crew commits at least 5 robberies in 20 minutes on Saturday morning (September 23, 2023)
- At least 14 robbed in violent, hour-long robbery spree overnight; 78-year-old beaten by muggers (September 21, 2023)
- Armed robbers strike 3 times in about an hour in Boystown, Lakeview, Uptown (September 19, 2023)
- DePaul students among several targeted in North Side robbery spree; more cases reported in Wicker Park, West Town (September 17, 2023)
- Uber driver carjacked, bicyclist mugged, third victim chased by robbers during overnight crime surge (September 11, 2023)
- Chicago police warn about armed robbers they were ordered to stop chasing; some victims waited hours for CPD to show up (September 10, 2023)
- Women attacked, robbed in a series of robberies near DePaul University campus overnight (September 9, 2023)
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