Violent robberies on the rise on Chicago's North Side
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - In the past week, there has been a rash of robberies on the city's North Side in the Lakeview, Lincoln Park and Uptown neighborhoods. Offenders, sometimes ten at a time, are targeting individuals late at night.
The latest incident happened in the 3300 block of North Kemore, where a man says he was beaten and robbed by as many as 10 offenders.
Most of the criminals have worked in groups and robbed the victims of cash and cell phones.
On Saturday, a man was beaten and robbed near Roscoe and Clark in the Boystown neighborhood around 2 a.m. And another man was robbed at the same intersection last week.
“They prey on the intoxicated people in the neighborhood," said Dennis Stevenson, who works security at a local bar. “We just make sure that everybody gets to their car safely or we all ride together, just stay in groups."
Also this weekend, three victims - two men and a woman - were robbed by four offenders. That attack happened at Halsted and Newport, also in the Boystown area.
Chicago police patrol the stretch of Boystown where the nightlife is active. The Northalsted Business Alliance even hires extra officers in the summer for more security.
According to victim's descriptions of the suspects, it does not appear to be the same group of offenders. Police have arrested two suspects involved in one of the attacks.