Armed thieves have been cruising Chicago neighborhoods and ripping gold necklaces straight off people’s necks, prompting police to issue a citywide alert and urge residents to keep their jewelry a little less flashy for now.
According to detectives, the crew has been targeting people walking on sidewalks, pulling up, confronting them and snatching chains, often in broad daylight. Between July 2 and July 14, officers logged multiple incidents, including on the 1200 block of S. Michigan Ave., the 0 block of S. Wabash Ave., and the 2300 block of S. Wentworth Ave., with victims robbed on sidewalks, according to CBS Chicago.
Police said suspects have been seen using two-door gray and green cars. Anyone with information is asked to call Area One detectives at 312-747-8384 or Area Three detectives at 312-744-8263, or send an anonymous tip through CPDTIP.com.
Recurring Chain-Snatching Pattern
This is not the first time gold chains have become a hot commodity for street robbers downtown. CWB Chicago reported a similar wave last fall that spread through Grant Park and the lakefront, when police tied a series of thefts to the same group.
In that earlier pattern, offenders were known to surround lone pedestrians, grab their necklaces, then bolt on bikes or scooters. Detectives say they are watching closely to see whether any of those tactics resurface in the current cases.
Police Ask for Tips and Video
Officers are leaning heavily on video to move the investigation forward. Cellphone clips, doorbell cameras and dashcam recordings often help identify suspects, and police are urging residents to save any relevant footage rather than trying to chase down or confront anyone.
As CBS Chicago reported, detectives are following up on leads from neighborhoods on both the North and South sides as they try to piece together who is behind the July stickups.
How This Fits Into Citywide Trends
On paper, robberies and armed robberies are actually down so far this year compared with 2025, a trend city officials have pointed to even as they caution that targeted crimes like these gold chain thefts still pack a serious punch, according to WTTW.
Police say that even when the overall numbers are headed in the right direction, sudden spikes in a specific kind of crime can rattle residents and visitors, especially in busy areas where people expect to feel relatively safe.
Officers are advising people to keep valuables out of sight when possible, stay alert on sidewalks and, crucially, not chase after robbers. Previous CPD alerts have warned residents against pursuing fleeing assailants, guidance highlighted in local reporting by CWB Chicago.
The investigation into the July robberies remains active, and detectives are again asking anyone with information, no matter how minor it might seem, to get in touch.
