2 teen boys charged with pepper-spraying nail salon staff in Lake View robbery

Two teenage boys were accused of robbing a nail salon after using its services Wednesday night in the Lake View neighborhood on the North Side.

At 8:40 p.m., the 17-year-olds posed as customers for the business in the 3100 block of North Halsted, according to Chicago police. When it came time to pay, one of them allegedly sprayed mace on a 42-year-old female staffer’s face. Another worker, a 40-year-old woman, breathed in the mist as well.

The boy grabbed an unknown amount of cash and other property before running away, police said, with the other 17-year-old following suit.

After a brief chase down the 3000 block of North Halsted, the two were arrested, police said. The 17-year-old with the pepper-spray allegedly raised a can to unleash at an officer, but it jammed.

Both 17-year-olds were charged with a felony count of an armed robbery as well as with misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct and theft of labor services and property, police said.

The boy with the pepper spray also faces felony counts of battery and assault, including assault of a police officer via a weapon, police said. The other 17-year-old was accused of a misdemeanor count of obstructing identification in addition to the other charges.

Their identities were not released because they were minors.