Police warn of NW Side business robberies

Police are warning Northwest Side businesses about a series of armed robberies reported earlier this month.

In each of the reported robberies, a male entered the business, displayed a black handgun and demanded money from the register, according to a business alert from Chicago Police.

The robberies occurred:

— Jan. 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the 3200 block of North Pulaski;

— Jan. 4 at 2:02 p.m. in the 4200 block of West Belmont;

— Jan. 6 at 2:55 p.m. in the 3200 block of West Montrose;

— Jan. 11 at 1:08 p.m. in the 3300 block of North Milwaukee.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-11 and 140 to 170 pounds, police said. He was wearing a homemade ski mask in one of the robberies.

He also spoke Spanish to store employees in two of the robberies, police said.

Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to contact Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263.