WEST ROGERS PARK — Police warned business owners to keep an eye out after a rash of robberies in the area.
Four victims since Feb. 8 had been attacked and robbed of their belongings, Police Officer Mike Stachula said while addressing Devon Avenue business owners Monday inside the Kabul House restaurant, at 2262 W. Devon Ave.
Two people were robbed within minutes of each other on Feb. 8, police said. The first victim was robbed at 7:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Granville Avenue, police said.
The second victim was robbed five minutes later — and not far away — in the 6400 block of North Bell Avenue, police said.
On Feb. 16, a victim was robbed at knife point in the 6400 block of North Western Avenue, police said.
Then, a day later, a fourth victim was robbed in the 6400 block of North Oakley Avenue, police said.
Stachula said the alleged offender or offenders would approach the victims, pushing them to the ground and taking their property.
"Be aware of your surroundings," he said to the business owners. "The detectives are still working on this."
Kabul House owner Abdul Qazi said he wasn't inside his restaurant when the robbery occurred on Oakley Avenue, adjacent to his storefront.
He said he worried that his customers would become too scared to shop on Devon Avenue if the robberies continued.
"I tell the customer to be aware," he said.
