WRIGLEYVILLE — Some community leaders are calling for more police patrols in Wrigleyville after at least five people were robbed at gunpoint near Wrigley Field.
In each of the five robberies, attackers forced victims into a car and drove to another spot, where they took the victim’s phone and wallet, police said. The victims were dropped off without injuries, police said.
The five robberies occurred in the early morning hours, police said.
- Saturday in the 3500 block of North Clark Street
- Sunday in the 3400 block of North Clark Street
- Two separate robberies Sunday in the 1100 block of West Addison Street
- Sunday in the 3600 block of North Clark Street
The suspects are two or three men who are 25-30 years old, about 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and 150-170 pounds, police said. They had a black handgun, police said.
Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) said he told police Monday the robberies show the need for additional security in the entertainment areas along Clark Street and Halsted streets.
“I also let [police] leadership know once again that they need to increase the number of police officers assigned to the 19th District, and that in the interim, I fully support the district’s request to [police] headquarters to have these extra resources sent to the area for the Halloween weekend,” Tunney said.
Maureen Martino, executive director of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, said she and a local business owner also met with police leaders this week to request more patrols in the area.
The chamber’s special service area has also increased its budget to continue to fund private security for the rest of the year, Martino said.
“We are requesting more patrols and identifying ways we can use existing resources in a different way to address the increase in crime,” Martino said. “The city is experiencing more violent crimes in other areas and, comparatively, Lakeview is a safe neighborhood; however, we need to make adjustments to prevent future incidents.”
Police have told residents in community alerts to be aware of their surroundings and to remain calm if confronted by a robber. Instead of pursuing the robber, people should contact the police to share information about what happened, a description of the person’s vehicle and any unique physical characteristics they might have.
“As always, I would like to remind residents to be aware of their surroundings, to walk in pairs and to call the police if they see suspicious behavior,” Tunney said.
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