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Chicago Police warn of armed robbery spree in South Loop, Pilsen

By Lauren Westphal
Published  January 28, 2026 9:47pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Chicago police are warning of a series of armed robberies targeting businesses in the South Loop and Pilsen areas.
    • In each case, suspects waited for unattended registers, grabbed them, and fled; some also took food orders before escaping.
    • The suspects are described as teens, and police urge the public to stay alert and report suspicious activity as investigations continue.

CHICAGO - Chicago Police are warning the public of a string of recent armed robberies in the South Loop and Pilsen neighborhoods.

What we know:

In each of the incidents, two offenders enter a commercial establishment and wait until the register is left unattended before grabbing it and fleeing the scene. In some incidents, the offenders took food orders that were on the counter ready for pick-up. Then they would dump the registers a short distance away.

The offenders are described as one or two people 15–17 years of age, wearing a dark grey hoodie sweatshirt, a sweatshirt with graphics and white lettering, black pants, polka dot pants, and white and grey footwear.

Dates and locations:

  •  1200 block of S. Ashland Ave. on Jan. 21 at 7:13 p.m. (Illinois Medical District)
  • 1600 block of S. Blue Island on Jan. 23, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. (Pilsen)
  • 1200 block of S. Ashland Ave. on Jan. 24, 2026 at 3:50 p.m. (Illinois Medical District)
  • 1300 block of S. Canal St. on Jan. 24, 2026 at 5:47 p.m. (Near Westside)
  • 300 block of N. Des Plaines St. on Jan. 24, 2026 at 6:46 p.m. (West Loop)

What you can do:

The police are warning the public to pay attention to suspicious individuals or vehicles loitering, call 911 immediately, never rest during a robbery, and ensure businesses have working video surveillance and alarms.

Anyone with information should contact Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com and use reference # P26-3-002.

The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Chicago Police Department.

Crime and Public SafetyChicagoPilsenSouth LoopNews