CHICAGO — The armed robbery crew that robbed a social media influencer and a delegate from Texas who were in town for the Democratic National Convention is responsible for even more crimes than police initially believed.
In an updated community alert issued Thursday, Chicago police detectives link the two-man team to seven armed robberies committed between August 11 and August 21. Most of the robberies occurred late at night or overnight.
The duo is driving up to victims on the street and jumping out with guns drawn. They threaten to kill their victims and order them to hand over phones and wallets. Many times, the men have robbed two or three people during one stop.
A 20-year-old social media influencer told CWBChicago that he and a friend were robbed at gunpoint outside the Emily Hotel, 311 North Morgan, after walking from that night’s DNC programming.
“We heard a scream and seconds later a man wearing all black with a black ski mask jumped out of a black SUV Land Rover, approached us with a gun in hand as we are trying to open the [hotel] door,” said the influencer, who wished to remain anonymous.
“Then he pointed the gun at my head and said, ‘Give me everything,’” he continued. The robber “took my wallet first and took my friend’s phone next and then took my phone and asked, ‘What is the password?’ then ran away as he is typing in the password and got into the vehicle and drove away.”
As they waited in the hotel lobby for police, another couple ran into the building saying they, too, had been robbed, according to the influencer.
Another guest in the Emily Hotel captured this video of the robbers leaving the scene:
The same perpetrators robbed the Texas delegate, his friend, and a third person in the 100 block of West Randolph, outside The Allegro Royal Sonesta Hotel, around 2:04 a.m. on Wednesday, August 21st.
In addition to those robberies, police have linked the suspects to:
- the 2300 block of South Wentworth around 1:26 p.m. on August 11
- the 2200 block of South Wentworth at 11:53 p.m. on August 11
- the 300 block of West 23rd Street at 11:56 p.m. on August 11
- the 200 block of West 23rd Street at 10:30 p.m. on August 19
- the 200 block of West Randolph at 2 a.m. on August 21.
CPD described the men as Black, 5’7″ to 5’9″ tall, dressed in black clothing and ski masks. Area Three detectives can be contacted at 312-744-8263.
