8-Jun-18 – Downtown Chicago’s flyer boys – young men who aggressively hand out flyers, often as a ruse – are suspected in several recent robberies.

Motorists stuck in traffic have been targeted. According to Chicago police, the men approach the vehicle, distract the driver with a flyer, open a door, and take the victim’s mobile phone, GPS, or other device.

It has happened at least six times, police say, during afternoon and evening hours, often on or near Michigan Avenue.

Victims include drivers for ride-sharing services who mount their phones on the windshield within reach of someone standing outside the vehicle. An Uber driver was robbed on June 2 at around 4:30 p.m., near Michigan & Randolph, by a boy who pretended to hand her a flyer, then displayed a handgun and took her phone.

A week earlier, at about 5:40 p.m. on LaSalle Drive south of Oak Street, a brown SUV pulled up to a traffic accident and three men jumped out to steal phones from the wrecked cars while victims looked on. The men then sped south on LaSalle.

The men in all the incidents are described by police as black, 15-20 years old. The flyer is usually about a fake sports team or fake charity.

Police encourage drivers to keep their doors locked and windows up, be wary of people walking in traffic lanes, and avoid conversation with them.