Man pretends to lose cell phone, steals from cab drivers downtown, police say

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police have issued an alert about a scheme to rob cab drivers downtown.

Police said a man hails a taxi, pretends to lose a phone in the cab and asks for the driver's help. Once the driver pulls over and helps look for the phone, the suspect takes the driver's property and runs out of the parked cab.

The robberies took place in the:

200-block of North Michigan Avenue at 10:40 a.m. on Dec. 13,

First block of East Wacker Dive at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 2,

200-block of West Wacker Drive at 11:50 a.m. on Jan. 7.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8384.