Commuters targeted in Red Line platform robberies

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Commuters are being warned about several recent robberies at the 35th Street stop on the CTA Red Line.

Chicago police are investigating four robberies over the last two weeks that have all taken place at the 35th Street CTA station near U.S. Cellular Field.

The 35th Street stop has two entrances: the almost always busy one on 35th, familiar to White Sox fans, and a far-less populated entrance two blocks north on 33rd, which is frequently used by students at IIT.

At the latter entrance there are plenty of cameras and a call box, but there is no station attendant. The first and last of the four robberies occurred inside the 33rd Street entrance on CTA property. Both victims were young women, though neither was hurt.

"They need someone on that end to at least watch people coming in and out there because even if they get stuck up, they can run and disappear into the park," said Lester Potts, a CTA passenger.

But many electronic eyes are on the outside and inside of the 33rd Street entrance. Anyone going to or from the train here is seen - in theory - by close to a dozen cameras.

"Cameras all over the place at this end," said Lindsay Hartley, a CTA passenger. "I would never expect that."

The other two robberies both involved young men as victims. One was hit on the head and knocked down while on the platform waiting for a train. The thief allegedly took his cellphone and fled on the train.

The other incident also involved a cellphone theft, as two robbers allegedly roughed up the victim after he got off a train.

The prolific number of cameras do not cover every inch of the CTA station, but certainly most of it. Surveillance images have been invaluable in solving previous crimes on the CTA - like the alleged stick-up team on the Orange Line. But do they deter crime?

"They make me feel more secure because people are watching from behind the scenes - at least hopefully," said Perry Zhang, a CTA passenger.

"You think that dissuades people from doing crime. No, some people just don't care. They feel like they've got nothing to lose," said Jermaine Johnson, a CTA passenger.

Police have not released surveillance video from the 35th Street incidents, and have not said if the incidents are related.