Chicago police issued a community alert after three armed robberies in the Back of the Yards over the weekend, which they said they believe could be connected to eight others in the neighborhood.
In all the incidents, a man with a handgun approaches victims on the street or enters businesses and announces a robbery before taking cash and running away, according to police.
The most recent pair of robberies occurred five minutes apart in the 2000 block of West 47th Street around 6 p.m. Sunday, and another occurred in the 1400 block of 47th Street Friday around 10 p.m.
Police said they believe eight other armed robberies in the last month are connected.
On Jan. 12, robberies occurred in the 4700 block of South Loomis Boulevard at 8:52 p.m. and in the 4800 block of South Throop Street at 9 p.m. On Jan. 18, more robberries occurred in the 4800 block of South Loomis Boulevard at 6:50 p.m.; the 1400 block of West 48th Street at 7:02 p.m.; and the 4900 block of South Loomis Boulevard at 7 p.m.
On Jan. 27, two more robberies happened in the 4300 block of South Ashland Avenue at 8:46 p.m.; the 4500 block of South Ashland Avenue at 8:49 p.m.; and another on Feb. 1 in the 1400 block of West 47th Street at 10:33 p.m.
The suspect is described as a Black man in his 20s, weighing 150 to160 pounds, police said. He was wearing a black skullcap, black pants, “Harry Potter-style” glasses and carrying a black-and-silver handgun.
