Surveillance video shows carjackers box victims in near Wrigley Field during crime spree
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police said no one is in custody after a series of frightening overnight armed carjackings, including in one captured on video. It is one of eight armed carjackings and robberies overnight that police have connected.
Surveillance video shows a carjacking near Wrigley Field where three cars pull up and box the victims in.
That incident took place in the 3500-block of North Clark Street about a block away from Wrigley Field at around 11:30
The video shows a woman attempt to park her white car on the street when she gets boxed in by three cars.
Several people in masks and hoodies jump out of the vehicles with guns drawn and yank her out while some of them beat up and rob her female passenger on the sidewalk, the video shows.
Then the suspects take off in the victim's white car leaving them behind, Meanwhile, a police squad car is seen driving by just seconds later.
A total of eight incidents happened between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 3 a.m. Wednesday, police said. Each incident involved four to six men armed with handguns who demanded victims' properties. In several incidents, cars were taken as well. Police said after robbing the victims, the suspects fled in a previously reported stolen or carjacked vehicle. After the carjackings and armed robberies, the same suspects also burglarized two Ulta beauty stores, one on North Clybourn and the other on South Halsted in Greektown.
Chicago police released the following locations and times in the crime spree:
- 1800 block of West Belle Plaine Ave on November 14, 2023 at 7:00 P.M.
- 5300 block of North Damen Ave on November 14, 2023 at 10:28 P.M.
- 4400 block of North Lincoln Ave on November 14, 2023 at 10:50 P.M.
- 2200 block of West Irving Park Rd on November 14, 2023 at 11:17 P.M.
- 900 block of West Grace St on November 14, 2023 at 11:30 P.M.
- 3500 block of North Clark St on November 14, 2023 at 11:38 P.M.
- 2700 block of North Clybourn Ave on November 15, 2023 at 2:30 A.M.
- 0-100 block of South Halsted St on November 15, 2023 at 3:05 A.M.
In each incident the suspects, who appeared to be between Black men between the ages of 16 and 20, wore dark hooded sweatshirts and black ski masks.
One woman who did not want to be identified witnessed one of the incidents in the 900-block of West Grace Street in the Lakeview neighborhood.
"We saw three cars pull up and probably three or four masked what looked like pretty young kids jump out with guns in their hands and forced a guy to the ground," she said. "From there, we just kind of heard a lot more yelling and then they looked like they threw some stuff back at the guy who had been mugged and then took off really fast and when cops showed up another gentleman walked up and said he had just been mugged as well."
Meanwhile, there was another similar carjacking about two miles north of Lakeview in the Lincoln Square neighborhood in the 4400-block of North Lincoln Avenue.
Police said a driver was boxed in by several vehicles and carjacked at gunpoint. The carjacking is putting many on guard.
"The thing is we have to keep an eye out and look all around because this is happening every time day or night," resident Maria Gonzalez said.
"When I'm approaching an intersection, I purposely will pull up a little bit and not get boxed in on either side of me or front or back. I've found that's helpful," said resident Tom Gunderson.
No one was seriously injured in any of the carjackings, police said. An investigation by CPD is ongoing.
INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER Track crime and safety in your neighborhood
