Pair of teens charged with West Town robbery spree using stolen car

Two teenage boys have been charged in connection with a string of robberies using a stolen car last week in the West Town neighborhood on the Near West Side.

The boys, both 17, allegedly stole the black 2015 Volkswagen overnight on Aug. 2 in the 1100 block of West George, according to a statement from Chicago police. They then used the car to get away after committing a series of robberies over the following week.

The first robbery happened about 10:30 a.m. Aug. 8 in the 900 block of South Western, police said. One of the teens took money from the cash register of a business and hit an employee, a 29-year-old woman, in the head with a metal pole. The suspects then drove off in the stolen Volkswagen.

They struck again at 3:05 p.m. Aug. 9 in the 1400 block of West Hubbard, according to police. The boys pushed a 25-year-old woman as she was walking and stole her purse before driving away in the Volkswagen..

CPD Wood District officers spotted the car with the suspects inside about 4 p.m. Monday in the 3000 block of West Polk, police said. The boys tried to drive away and crashed the vehicle before getting out and running on foot. They were caught after a brief foot chase.

One of the boys was charged with two felony counts of robbery armed with a dangerous weapon and a felony count each of robbery and receiving, possessing or selling a stolen vehicle, police said. The other was charged with a misdemeanor count of criminal trespass to a vehicle.

They were both expected to appear in juvenile court, police said.