Oak Park police say two recent crimes have similarities to a string of robberies that prompted Chicago Police to warn CTA commuters about an increase in robberies targeting CTA riders.
Oak Park Police Sgt. Michael Richardson said his department hasn’t ruled out the possibility that the robberies could be related.
“There are similarities among the robberies; cell phones are being taken,” Richardson said.
On Tuesday, three men approached a Forest Park man walking at the 1100 block of S. Lombard Avenue, located a block off the Blue Line. The victim was thrown to the ground. One of the men pointed a gun and demanded money from the Forest Park man. After he handed over $180 in cash, the three men fled southbound on Lombard Avenue to Fillmore Street, police reported.
Earlier this week, Chicago police issued a community alert warning of a pattern of armed robberies at or near stops along the CTA’s Green Line in the West Side Austin neighborhood. The robbers either beat their victims with their fists or displayed a handgun while demanding purses, wallets, money, jewelry, computers or cell phones, police said. Chicago police said the gangs include up to four males.
On Dec. 29 in Oak Park, three men robbed a man walking at the 0-100 block of Harrison Avenue, located a block north of the Blue Line, at 2:12 a.m. The men took a black canvas backpack containing a laptop, a U.S. Passport and a wallet. The total loss was estimated at $995. The men reportedly fled the scene in a dark blue or black minivan.
Richardson said Oak Park Police officers patrol the CTA Blue and Green lines by riding the trains during peak commuter hours.
“Commuters should be aware of their surroundings,” Richardson said. “Be less focused on their cell phones and text messages and more aware of the people around them.”
Anyone with information on these attacks is asked to call Grand Central Area detectives at (312)746-8253 or (312)746-8362.
