Three men stormed a 7-Eleven in Albany Park before dawn Monday, pistol-whipped the clerk, then yanked out both cash registers and grabbed boxes of cigarettes before speeding off, Chicago police said.
The robbery happened around 1:48 a.m. at the Northwest Side store when the trio walked in and demanded cash and merchandise. Witnesses and investigators said the crew went straight for the tills and cigarettes, then fled in a newer-model sedan. The 54-year-old worker was taken to Swedish Hospital in good condition. Grand Central Area detectives were investigating, and there were no reported arrests as of Monday morning.
Police: Employee Hit With Gun As Crew Hauls Off Tills
According to CBS Chicago, officers said one of the men struck the employee in the face with a handgun during the holdup while the others grabbed both registers and cigarettes. The station identified the store as the 7-Eleven at 2900 W. Montrose Ave., and police described the getaway vehicle as a newer-model sedan. Grand Central Area detectives were assigned to the case, and, per the report, no one was in custody Monday morning.
Predawn Convenience Store Hits Ripple Across Northwest Side
Neighborhood outlets have noted similar early-morning convenience store robberies on the Northwest Side in recent months, including a comparable predawn 7-Eleven holdup in Norwood Park in December. More broadly, crime researchers say retail theft and shoplifting jumped sharply through 2024 and remain a major concern for Chicago businesses, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.
How To Help And What Businesses Can Do
Police are asking anyone with information to contact Grand Central Area detectives at 312-746-7394 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com. Investigators continue to urge businesses to preserve and save surveillance video to help build cases. If you have footage or details that might be relevant, detectives say to call or use the online tip portal so they can review images and leads. Authorities say they will keep following up on tips and video as they work to identify the suspects.
