CHICAGO — A man accused of trying to punch and rob a CTA passenger of their phone in Wrigleyville allegedly offered an explanation to officers who stopped him minutes later: “I need another phone.”
Terrance McGraw, 24, was on pretrial release for criminal damage when he allegedly tried to punch a 45-year-old man who was seated on a Red Line train near Addison around 5 p.m. on April 8.
Standing over the man, McGraw allegedly ordered him to “Give me your f*****g phone” while trying to snatch the device from the man’s hand, according to a criminal complaint.
When the robbery attempt failed, McGraw allegedly ran to the back of the train screaming and kicked out the rear train window.
CPD officers just happened to be doing a security check at the Addison station platform when the train pulled to a stop. Several people waved the officers down to report that someone was attacking passengers on the train, a CP report said.
The victim identified McGraw as the would-be robber and the police stopped him on the platform, the report explained.
When the cops asked McGraw what was going on, he allegedly explained, “Someone just took my phone. I need another phone.”
In addition to being charged with attempted robbery, McGraw faces a felony criminal damage charge for allegedly kicking out the train window, valued at $3,433.89.
Judge John Hock detained McGraw pending trial.
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