Chicago police are warning CTA riders after at least two robberies struck the Brown Line in the Loop this month, with suspects — including one carrying a gun — approaching victims and taking their belongings by force before fleeing on foot or by train.
The first robbery happened just before 9:20 p.m. on Sept. 4 in the 100-block of North Wabash Avenue, according to ABC7 Chicago. A second robbery followed just before 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 13, this time in the 200-block of South Wells Street, also in the Loop. In both cases, police said the suspects approached their targets on the Brown Line and took property by force.
Investigators described a group of two to three suspects involved in the robberies, including one person armed with a gun. Police released detailed clothing descriptions for three suspects: one man wore a black mask, gray hooded sweatshirt, black pants, white shoes, and a large yellow chain and medallion, while another man wore a black mask, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, black shoes and a black backpack. A female suspect was described as wearing a gray T-shirt and carrying a black backpack.
A Pattern of CTA Robberies in the Loop
This is not the first time Chicago police have flagged a cluster of robberies tied to CTA train service downtown. The department has previously warned about a string of robberies in the Loop, as reported by CBS News Chicago. In an earlier case, police identified a suspect tied to two CTA armed robberies committed in two days on the Brown and Purple lines, per ABC7's reporting at the time.
Other recent Loop incidents underscore the pattern. Police were once seeking two people accused of robbing a rider on a CTA train in the 100-block of West Lake Street near the Clark/Lake station around 10:50 p.m. on Sept. 26 of a prior year, according to ABC7. In a separate case detailed by CWBChicago, prosecutors say a 29-year-old man slapped a woman's hand down and grabbed her phone near the Lake Red Line station around 3:40 p.m. on July 29, then was later spotted by the same victim inside the Taco Bell at 178 North Wabash Avenue, where she worked.
Robberies Elsewhere on the CTA System
The Loop is not the only part of the system where CTA riders have recently faced robbery attempts. On the Southwest Side, three people were arrested after allegedly attempting to rob a 54-year-old man aboard a CTA bus, according to WGN-TV. Police said three males approached the victim on a bus in the 5700 block of South Ashland Avenue in Englewood and demanded his property before he fought them off.
The same WGN-TV report cited citywide CTA crime data showing 550 crimes had occurred on the system so far in 2026, a total that was down compared to year-over-year figures. The station's report did not break that total down by robbery specifically or specify the exact comparison window.
How to Report Information
Chicago police are asking anyone with information about the two Brown Line robberies to come forward. Area Three detectives can be reached at 312-744-8263, and tips can also be submitted anonymously through CPDTIP.com.
