South Loop Robbers Are Taking People's Cell Phones At Gunpoint

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Sep 12, 2016 5:25PM

Police are warning of a rash of robberies at gunpoint in the South Loop, in which a trio of robbers forces pedestrians to reset their cell phones and then hand them over.

Three robberies were reported in the South Loop, near Museum Campus, in late August and early September. In each incident, according to a police alert released Monday, three young black men between the ages of 15 and 22, two of whom were wearing black baseball hats (one with yellow writing and one with a Batman logo) went up to pedestrians, showed them a handgun, and then demanded they empty their purses and give them their wallets or cell phones.

The robbers "demanded the victims unlock their cellphones and reset their settings to factor status," according to police, and demanded their banking PIN numbers.

The three incidents took place in the early morning; one on Aug. 29 in the 900 block of South Michigan Avenue; on Aug. 31 in 1200 block of South Lake Shore Drive; and in the 500 block of South Columbus Drive.