The Chicago Police Department has issued an alert to stores in the central district of the city warning of a rash of robberies committed by groups of teen females.
Police believe the females are responsible for three retail robberies over the past month.
The suspects attempt to shoplift items from the store, and when confronted by employees, use force or the threat of force to get away.
The robberies have occurred at the following approximate locations and times:
- June 24: The Pay Half store on the 0-100 Block of N. Wabash Ave. at approximately 4:10 p.m.
- July 16: 0-100 Block of E. Madison St. at approximately 11:30 a.m.
- July 19: 100 Block of S. State St. at approximately 12:20 p.m.
Police say the offenders are working in groups.
Cassandra Perez, who's worked at the Pay Half store for five years, says her manager fell into a display table trying to wrestle a bag of stolen clothes from the group of shoplifters.
"It's scary, but you have to work," Perez says.
Perez says this type of crime has always been a problem with criminals working in groups and pretending they don't know each other.
Adriene Morris said a pack of teenaged girls came into the Sally's Beauty Supply where she worked and tried to steal high-priced hair extensions by cutting them from the display with scissors.
We did a tug of war. She had scissors in her hand and I'm lucky I didn't get cut," Morris said. "They bumped into my manager real hard. She had bruise on her arm. It's crazy, you have to be careful, especially if you are in the store by yourself and six or seven girls come in."
Anyone with information is asked to call CPD at (312) 747-8380.
