ANDERSONVILLE — Andersonville businesses are being warned about a series of armed robberies in the area targeting restaurant delivery drivers.
Police are investigating the rash of robberies and seek a suspect described as a black male, sometimes with a black woman, who forces drivers into building vestibules when they show up with grub and robs them at gunpoint, according to the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.
The Edgewater Chamber of Commerce sent out an email alert late last week that included a message from the Andersonville chamber about "a pattern of armed robberies of delivery drivers in the past several weeks."
The Andersonville chamber recognized the series of robberies after a local restaurant's delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint in the 1000 block of West Hollywood a little after 10 p.m. on July 30.
The suspects call delivery drivers to various locations in Edgewater and Uptown, said Andersonville chamber executive director Ellen Shepard. Lincoln District police confirmed similar incidents in the past few weeks in the 1000 block of West Winona Avenue, 5300 block of North Winthrop Avenue and in the 5600 block of North Kenmore Avenue, according to the Andersonville chamber. Officials declined to name the establishments hit by robberies.
But Shepard said "obviously it's a great concern to our restaurants."
"I hope the police can catch who's doing this soon," Shepard said.
Police did not immediately have more information about the incidents, or about the suspects. Dan Luna, chief of staff to Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) declined to give details about the incidents citing an ongoing police investigation.
The Andersonville chamber is encouraging business owners and area residents to attend the CAPS Beat 2033 meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bezazian Library, 1226 W. Ainslie Ave.
