Armed robbers hold up 7-Eleven stores in Bucktown, Lake View

CHICAGO - Armed robbers hit two 7-Eleven stores in 10 minutes Thursday in Lake View and Bucktown on the North Side.

In each case, three men walked into the store, one demanding money from employees at gunpoint while the others emptied cash registers or grabbed merchandise, according to a business alert from Chicago police.

In one of the hold-ups, the suspects hit an employee in the head with a handgun and stole his cellphone, police said.

The first robbery occurred about 12:35 a.m. in the 900 block of West Diversey Parkway, police said. The other happened about 10 minutes later in the 2000 block of North Damen Avenue.

One of the suspects was described as a man between 22 and 30 years old, standing 6 feet to 6-foot-2 and weighing about 160 pounds, police said. He wore a red hooded sweatshirt.

Another was a man between 20 and 30, about the same height and weight, wearing a dark hoodie, police said. The third was a man between 20 and 30 standing 5-foot-7 to 6-foot-2, weighing 140-160 pounds and wearing a dark hoodie.

Anyone with information is asked to call Area North detectives at 312-744-8263.