Chicago police are warning several neighborhoods to be on alert after as many as 17 armed robberies occurred over the course of three days.
In one of the incidents, three University of Chicago students were held up near campus in broad daylight.
According to a community alert from Chicago Police, the robberies follow a similar pattern: Several men wearing masks jump out of a car and demand victims' belongings at gunpoint. They then quickly flee the scene in vehicles, police said.
11 of the robberies took place Monday in Portage Park, Irving Park, Belmont Cragin, Lakeview and Lincoln Park. Four of the robberies took place Friday, in Goose Island and Lincoln Park.
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Each of the robberies occurred "in the morning hours," police said. A full list of where the robberies took place can be found below:
- 1300 block of North Halsted St, Friday April 12, 2024 in the morning hours
- 1800 block of North Halsted St, Friday April 12, 2024 in the morning hours
- 1400 block of North Kingsbury St, Friday April 12, 2024 in the morning hours
- 1600 block of North Sheffield Ave, Friday April 12, 2024 in the morning hours
- 5300 block of West Patterson Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 3200 block of North Keeler Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 2700 block of North Leclaire Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 5100 block of West Barry Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in morning hours
- 4900 block of West Fletcher Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 2900 block of North Lavergne Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 1400 block of West Cornelia Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 3200 block of North Southport Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 2100 block of North Cleveland Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 800 block of West Armitage Ave, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
- 2100 block of North Halsted St, Monday April 15, 2024 in the morning hours
In addition to the robberies above, on Wednesday, three University of Chicago students were robbed at gunpoint within minutes near the school’s campus in Hyde Park, police said.
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According to police, two students were walking at 2:50 p.m. in the 5600 block of South University Avenue when four people armed with handguns confronted them and took their belongings. The suspects then then fled in a four-door black Infiniti, University of Chicago police said.
About five minutes later, another student was walking in the 1300 block of East 56th Street when two people approached the student with a handgun and took their belongings.
The suspects fled the scene in a black car that was waiting for them, police said.
In response to the robberies, campus safety ambassadors and university police officers said will “maintain an increased presence” around the school’s campus.
No injuries were reported in any of the incidents, police said. No one was in custody.
The robberies come one week after Chicago police announced a strategy to "address and prevent robberies."
"With most of these crimes, someone out there know something," Chicago Police Department Chief of Detectives Antoinette Ursitti said during the press conference. "This information can be vital in solving a case. Discussions in these meetings also help us strategically deploy resources so that we can stop robbery offenders through focused missions."
Amid the spike, police are asking residents to be aware of their surroundings.
"If confronted by an assailant, remain calm," police said in the community alert. They are encouraging victims or witnesses to pay attention to any physical characteristics of the suspects, or licenses plate numbers of cars involved.
Recent data from the Chicago Police Department showed reports of robberies in Chicago have risen every year since 2021. According to CPD, 2,170 robberies were reported in Chicago so far in 2024, compared to 2,149 in 2023.
CPD data showed that burglary and thefts have gone down, with 1,725 burglaries in 2024 compared to 1,823 in 2023, and 4,046 thefts in 2024 compared to 4,502 in 2023.
