Police searching for woman who tried to rob cellphone store in West Town

Chicago police released surveillance photos of a woman who claimed to have a gun when she attempted to rob a cellphone store earlier this month in West Town.

About 1:10 p.m. Feb. 8, the suspect walked into the store in the 2300 block of West Chicago and struck up a conversation with an employee, according to an alert from police. She then slipped the clerk a note that demanded cash and said she was armed with a gun.

When the employee refused to hand over any property, the would-be robber took off westbound and possibly hopped onto a CTA bus, police said.

The suspect — who is considered armed and dangerous — is described as a black woman, thought to be around 18 years old, standing between 5-feet and 5-foot-4, weighing between 140 and 160 pounds with “distinctive blue hair,” police said. She was seen wearing a pea coat.

Anyone with information about the attempted robbery or the suspect should call Area Central detectives at (312) 746-7066.