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West Town Sidewalk Muggers May Have Gone On Armed Robbery Spree, Police Say

By Alisa Hauser | May 31, 2016 4:47pm | Updated on May 31, 2016 5:09pm

WEST TOWN — Five people are in police custody following a rash of sidewalk muggings, including a Memorial Day stickup in Wicker Park, police said.

Kim Shepherd, a Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) volunteer, shared news of the arrests on the Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Watch Facebook page Tuesday.

"After committing armed robberies overnight in the 2000 block of West Huron and 1800 block of a nearby street, they were apprehended by officers. They all live on the south side and were driving up here to commit the robberies." Shepherd said.

Officer Bari Lemmon, a Chicago Police spokeswoman, said suspects are in police custody and victims are being interviewed but no charges have been filed yet. 

The muggings occurred on May 21, 23, 26 in the 2700 block of West Chicago Avenue, the 1500 block of West Haddon Avenue and the 1300 block of West Huron Street, according to a crime alert issued over the holiday weekend. 

Additionally, a mugging with a similar pattern occurred on Monday in the 1500 block of North Paulina Street after the alert was issued.

In all instances, the suspects approach their victims on the sidewalk and demand valuables and cash before driving off in a white, four-door car, Shepherd said. 

Shepherd credited the efforts of the Near West District (12th) Robbery Burglary Team, Led by Sgt. David Weigand, for "doggedly" pursuing multiple armed robbery investigations.

Reached on Tuesday, Weigand said that the suspects, three men and two women, were arrested after an armed robbery earlier in the day. The victim's cell phone tracking app led officers to a Volvo parked near 43rd and State streets on the South Side, so the Near West District (12th) contacted officers in the Wentworth (2nd) District.

"The patrol officer got on the zone [radio] and notified the 2nd District," Weigand said. "One of the passengers in the car had several phones in his hand. One of the victims called her phone and it started ringing. [It was] a great job by both districts communicating with each other."

In addition to "multiple phones," the Wentworth District officers also found a semi automatic handgun in the car, Weigand said.

Weigand said that detectives in Area North believe the suspects could be connected to six armed robberies there, while detectives in the Near West District believe they may have committed four armed robberies in there.

Although charges are still pending, Shepherd said she hopes the arrests will deter future crimes.

"Hopefully, offenders traveling from miles away to our neighborhoods will soon realize that if you come to West Town to prey on our residents, you will be caught and your victims and their neighbors will ensure you are prosecuted and held accountable for your crimes," Shepherd said.

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