CHICAGO — Now two weeks old, there are no signs that a crime pattern involving bike-riding men who snatch chains from women’s necks will slow down anytime soon. Two more robberies were confirmed Sunday evening, one on the lakefront and another in the Loop. Additional attempts were reported along North Avenue Beach.
Shortly after 5 p.m., several people reported seeing two men riding an e-bike along the lakefront trail, with the passenger trying to snatch gold chains from people’s necks. The duo successfully took at least one chain, pulling it from a woman’s neck just north of Armitage on the lakefront bike path, according to preliminary information.
An officer who reviewed CPD surveillance video reported that the thieves escaped by riding the bike across the North Avenue Beach pedestrian bridge. The officer said they were Hispanic men on a black electric bike, with the driver wearing a black hat, a black sweatshirt, and black pants. The passenger wore a black hat, black jacket, and blue jeans. Witnesses said they appeared to be in their 20s.
A similar robbery was reported just after 7 p.m. in the Loop. A Hispanic man in his late teens or early 20s riding a blue Divvy snatched a woman’s chain from her neck near 400 South State. He was last seen heading east on Ida B. Wells.
In earlier incidents:
Just after 5 p.m. Friday, a man snatched the necklace from a woman’s neck near the 100 block of South Clinton and fled the scene. He was described as Black or Indian with a tattoo over one eye. He wore a gray hoodie and black pants and had a black sling bag over his chest.
On Thursday evening, a woman was mugged near the Shedd Aquarium by a man who used the same technique. He escaped on a bike. An officer who responded to the scene said the robber was a Black man in his mid-20s, standing 5’8″ to 5’10” tall and wearing black clothing.
On Saturday morning, September 21, police arrested Anthony Laya-Alvarado after a woman’s necklace was snatched in the 900 block of West Weed. Prosecutors said Laya-Alvarado and an accomplice escaped on a motorized bike and ran away when police moved in. Cops caught Laya-Alvarado, but the other guy got away.
Earlier cases involving a two-man team were reported:
- near State and Jackson around 3:22 p.m. on September 9
- at Illinois and Peshtigo around noon on September 11
- on the Lakefront Trail near Armitage around 2:30 p.m. on September 11
- on the Lakefront Trail near Grand around 3 p.m. on September 11
- near Lake Street and North Riverside around 4 p.m. on September 11
- in the 300 block of South Financial around 10:42 a.m. on September 12
- near Wells and Adams around 7:40 p.m. on September 13
- near Kinzie and Canal around 10:15 p.m. on September 13
Despite the growing number of cases, Chicago police have not issued public warnings about the crime pattern.
Original reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click here to support our work.
