WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Chicago police issued an alert after three armed robberies of dollar stores last week on the South Side.
The robberies happened between 7 and 9 p.m. in Auburn Gresham, West Englewood and Washington Heights. In each case a man went into the store armed with a gun and demanded money from the register, according to police in the Morgan Park and Gresham districts.
Police describe the robber as a black man 40-45 years old, standing about 5-foot-9 and weighing about 200 pounds. He wore a baseball hat in the robberies, police said.
The robberies occurred on:
• Sept. 17 in the 1200 block of West 87th Street in Auburn Gresham
• Sept. 21 in the 9300 block of South Ashland Avenue in Washington Heights
• Sept. 23 in the 7000 block of South Ashland Avenue in West Englewood
Police recommend businesses have a surveillance systems inside and outside their stores, keep an alarm system within reach of the cash register and train employees on how to deal with robbery situations safely.
If possible, it is also recommended that businesses close while waiting for responding officers in order to preserve any evidence left by a robber. Business owners are advised to always call 911 immediately and provide a detailed description of any suspicious people, including vehicle descriptions and license plate information.
Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to call detectives at 312-747-8273.
