Cops follow pings of stolen cellphone, arrest suspects minutes after Lincoln Park robbery

Police followed the pings of a stolen cellphone Tuesday and arrested four suspects within 30 minutes of an armed robbery in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

A pair of gunmen confronted two victims as they walked down the 2600 block of North Greenview Avenue, Chicago police spokeswoman Kellie Bartoli said in an email.

The gunmen demanded the personal property of the victims, two 18-year-old men, who complied, Bartoli said. The suspects took off about 8:55 p.m. south on Greenview. No one was hurt.

Within minutes, one victim pinged the location of his stolen cellphone to the Avondale neighborhood, Bartoli said. Officers on patrol found a vehicle that matched the moving pings near the 2600 block of North Western Avenue and pulled over the driver.

Inside the car, police found a gun, a replica gun, the victims’ property and miscellaneous credit and gift cards under various names, Bartoli said.

The four people inside the car were arrested at 9:20 p.m.

Charges haven’t been filed against the three adults, but a 17-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile with two felony counts of armed robbery.