LAKEVIEW — Three people have been arrested for two separate armed robberies in Lakeview after police were able to track them down with a smartphone finder, according to police sources.
A 21-year-old man was robbed in the 400 block of West Barry Avenue around 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, said Officer Jose Estrada, a Chicago Police Department spokesman. Two men approached the victim with a gun and ran away, Estrada said.
The robbers took off with cash and other personal items, including the victim's iPhone and groceries, he said.
But the offenders didn't get far. The victim borrowed a responding police officer's cellphone in hopes of finding his stolen phone through an iPhone tracking app, police sources said.
With the app, police were able to find three suspects in the 500 block of West Stratford Place less than 30 minutes later.
The suspects were in a white, four-door car with all of the victim's belongings, plus stolen items from another robbery.
Earlier that night, about 11:35 p.m., two 21-year-old men reported being robbed in an alley in the 3300 block of North Clark Street. They told police that two people approached them with a gun and took cash and other personal items, Estrada said.
Those stolen belongings also were found in the car, as was one gun, Estrada said.
Charges are pending.
