Chicago neighborhoods are on high alert after a string of armed robberies hit the West Loop, West Town, Little Italy, Fulton Market District, and Goose Island areas. According to a community alert issued by the Chicago Police Department (CPD), multiple victims have been approached by 2 to 4 male offenders, thought to be between the ages of 16 and 25, who orchestrated the crimes while equipped with handguns and clad in dark clothing and black ski masks.
The assailants, reported to have utilized a stolen gray Infiniti Q50 during these heists, have been seen wielding handguns as they demand possessions from victims and in a brazen trend are demanding passcodes to stolen cellphones, subsequently resorting to violence in some instances where they pistol-whipped the victims, while in two cases departing without seizing any belongings; details reflect the calculated aggression behind these acts. The robbery spree spanned July 3rd and 4th, touching streets from West Carroll Avenue to North Laflin Street.
Victims and witnesses are urged by CPD to focus on memorizing distinctive features of the robbers, such as scars or a limp, while emphasizing the priority of safety over property, and to come forward with information while avoiding confrontation with the assailants. “Never resist a robbery. Value your life over any and all property,” the CPD community alert stated, urging people to observe and report but not engage with the perpetrators…