28-Dec-19 – Chicago police have released a series of community and business alerts over the past week, warning of numerous thefts and robberies in Near North neighborhoods.

Four taxi drivers were robbed late last month in the Gold Coast and River North neighborhoods.

Police say the suspects, as many as five of them at a time, hail a taxi and request to be driven to a location. When they get there, they get out of the taxi, attack and rob the driver, then run away.

The incidents happened on November 20 near the intersection of North Michigan Avenue & East Chicago Avenue, November 27 in the 200 block of East Chestnut Street, November 28 in the 600 block of North Wabash Avenue, and December 12 in the 900 block of North Michigan Avenue (left).

All the incidents happened in the afternoon.

The suspects are described as one or two black men, one or two black women, and one white woman, all 18 to 25 years old.

In two River North burglaries, police say an offender “forces entry into businesses through front doors by use of a pry tool,” then steals property and leaves.

The incidents happened on December 1 in the early morning near North State Street & East Ontario Street, and on December 18 in the morning near North Dearborn Street & West Ohio Street.

The burglary suspect is described as a black man, 45 to 65 years old, about six feet tall, 185 to 200 pounds, and wearing dark clothing.

Victims robbed by force in River North, Streeterville

Three robberies were reported in River North and Streeterville on December 8 and a fourth robbery happened on December 18.

In each incident, according to police, offenders “approach victims on the street and rob them by force.”

The incidents on December 8 happened near North Wells Street & East Grand Avenue in the early morning, North Rush Street & West Ohio Street in the evening, and in the 500 block of East Grand Avenue in the evening.

On December 18, a robbery happened in the morning near North State Street & West Kinzie Street.

The suspects are described as three or four black men, 17 to 25 years old, all five-feet-ten-inches tall and weighing about 175 pounds.

Two thefts of mobile phones happened on December 18 on CTA trains or platforms – one near the Red Line station at North & Clybourn (right) at 7:40 a.m., then at the Brown Line station at Chicago & Franklin at 10:15 p.m. Photo by Graham Garfield

According to police, in each case, a black man, about 18 years old, six feet tall with slim build, grabbed a phone from the victim’s hands and ran away.

On December 28, Chicago police warned businesses of additional burglaries in River North, again committed by more than burglar. The suspects gained access to businesses in the early morning hours by breaking front or side glass doors. The incidents happened on December 18 in the 600 block of North State Street, December 26 in the 400 block of North State Street, and December 28 in the 900 block of North Rush Street.