Two brutal group robberies rattled the South Loop over the weekend, as packs of teens allegedly swarmed pedestrians near Grant Park, punched and kicked them, then took off with phones and jewelry. Chicago police issued a community alert after the back-to-back incidents along the busy Roosevelt Road and Michigan Avenue corridor.
What police say
According to CBS Chicago, the first attack unfolded Friday at about 7:58 p.m. in the 1100 block of South Michigan Avenue alongside Grant Park. The second robbery hit early Sunday between roughly 1:00 a.m. and 1:16 a.m. in the first block of East Roosevelt Road.
Police told the station that groups of about 10 to 16 males, believed to be roughly 14 to 19 years old, surrounded victims, repeatedly punched and kicked them, then ripped away cellphones and jewelry by force before fleeing.
How to report tips
Chicago police are asking anyone with information to submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com using Reference # P26-3-024. Local reporting and public-safety guides list Belmont Area detectives at (312) 744-8263 for non-emergency detective contacts, and officials urge calling 911 in an emergency, per public-safety guides.
Why this matters
Similar swarm-style robberies have cropped up around Grant Park and the South Loop in past years, complicating safety for people walking near the lakefront and leaving late-night events, as ABC7 Chicago has documented. Police say the investigation is ongoing and are urging anyone with video, photos, or eyewitness details to come forward to help identify the suspects.
