Suit: Security desk unmanned while woman attacked outside West Loop condo

A woman claims the security desk at her West Loop condominium was unattended while a man attacked and robbed her in an alley that was supposed to be under camera surveillance last March.

The woman was walking home alone from a night out with friends about 11:30 p.m. on March 17 when a man grabbed her from behind near the entrance of her condo in the 600 block of West Randolph, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Cook County Circuit Court.

The suit claims the man dragged her with his arm around her neck to a nearby alley that was supposed to be under surveillance, monitored by a private guard from Admiral Security Services hired by the condo association.

The man repeatedly punched her in the face, pinned her to the ground and tried to pull her pants down before running off with her purse, the suit says.

The woman claims no one was at the security desk when she walked into the lobby after the alleged attack, and that she couldn’t find a phone before the security guard “eventually returned and called 911.”

Curtis Williams, 49, was arrested and later charged with aggravated robbery for the incident, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s office. He remains in custody at the Cook County Jail on a $175,000 bond.

The condo association, Admiral Security and Williams are listed as defendants in the suit along with Lieberman Management Services and the security guard who was on duty at the time of the alleged attack. Representatives for those groups could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday evening.

The nine-count negligence suit seeks an unspecified amount in damages.

Williams is next scheduled to appear in court for his criminal charge on Jan. 16.