Dozens of Edgewater residents are upset with what they see as a lack of policing in their neighborhood after no fewer than 12 people became victims of strong armed robberies over the summer.
The robberies have taken place in a two-block radius that includes Magnolia, Lakewood and Rosemont avenues, according to Chicagocrime.org. May 6 seems to be when they started.
Kerry Wentworth said she was on her phone outside an apartment building on the 1300 block of West Rosement when she became a victim on July 9.
"I had two gentlemen approach me. One of them twisted my arm and took the phone right out of my hand," she recalled. "It's all very alarming. People are getting hurt and robbed and people need to take care of each other.
Wentworth was one of some 40 Edgewater residents that agreed at a meeting with police Tuesday night to put up neighborhood watch signs in their windows.
"Our security is endangered right now. So I want to be proactive in situations and find out what's going on," said Loyola student Brooke Stawski. "We all just moved in. We're students at Loyola and our safety is No. 1 to us right now."
Many of the items stolen are handheld gadgets, police said.
"People walking with cell phones, iPods on, they're not aware of what's going on around them. They don't see people, they don't hear people. Unfortunately, that helps them become victims," said police Lt. Paul Kusinski.
No arrests have been made in the dozen or so thefts, but police said they would be increasing patrols.
