A crew of at least four people in a gray sedan went on a robbery spree that began at about 4 a.m. Thursday on the Near West Side, Chicago police said.
The first robbery occurred in the 700 block of West Jackson Boulevard. Two men, ages 57 and 51, were walking when two vehicles pulled up, and four people exited and approached the victims brandishing a firearm and demanding their belongings.
One of the robbers struck the younger victim in the face, and the other robbers took his property before returning to their vehicles and fled east. Both victims refused medical treatment at the scene.
Twenty minutes later, police said a gray four-door sedan approached a 69-year-old man who was walking in the 800 block of West Wolcott Avenue. Four robbers exited the vehicle displaying a firearm. The robbers pushed the victim to the ground and took his belongings, police said. The robbers got back into the sedan and fled south.
Around 4:40 a.m., a 34-year-old man was inside his vehicle in the 1500 block of North Talman Avenue when a gray/silver colored sedan, possibly a Hyundai Elantra, approached and four robbers exited brandishing firearms. The robbers took his belongings, then got back into the sedan and fled north, police said.
Ten minutes later, a 45-year-old man was inside his vehicle in the 1600 block of North Talman Avenue when the gray/silver sedan approached and four robbers got out with firearms and demanded his belongings. The victim handed over his things, and the robbers got back into their sedan and fled north, police said.
About 5 a.m., a 22-year-old man was in the 1600 block of North Leavitt Street when a gray sedan approached and three robbers got out, and pushed the victim to the ground and took his property. No weapon was brandished. The robbers then got back into the sedan and fled south.
The victim’s belongings were recovered nearby, police said. The victim refused medical help at the scene.
No one was in custody and detectives were investigating.
On March 15, at least 5 different robberies occurred in the early morning hours on the Southwest Side.
