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News
Chicago liquor stores hit by robbery spree
Three liquor stores in the north of Chicago were hit by the same crew of armed robbers in the space of an hour on Monday evening, the second such spree in a week.
Monday’s co-ordinated attacks began at 8.43pm when a group of four men armed with pistols burst into Mr. P Beverage Depot demanding “everything” and threatening to shoot.
According to CBS News Chicago the robbers jumped the counter and held two employees at gunpoint, taking the content of both cash registers (estimated to be worth around US$3,000-4,000). They also took the employees’ mobile phones and punched one of them in the face before leaving on foot for their next target.
20 minutes later the robbers hit Before You Go Liquor, and shortly after at 9.20pm that they also attacked Clybourn Market, threatening to open fire at both. In one of the robberies it is reported that they marched a victim to an ATM and forced them to withdraw cash.
The Chicago Police Department issued the following description of the perpetrators: “Four male African American offenders, 20-25 years of age, one wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, the other three wearing black hooded sweatshirts and jeans.”
This series follows on from a spree on the evening Thursday 11 January which saw five liquor stores targeted within two hours. According to CBS News Chicago these robberies involved three armed thieves, and in the report from the following day there was uncertainty whether the incidences were all connected. It is also currently unclear whether this spate of armed robberies is connected to those on Monday.
Given that, as far as the reports mention, no alcohol was stolen from the premises, only cash and phones, it is unclear why liquor stores in particular have been targeted – one possible explanation is that their relatively small size and late opening hours make it easier to target several of them in quick succession without raising too much alarm.
The police advice to stores hit by the robbers is to “alert nearby businesses” and not to “attempt to reason” with the offenders.
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