Robbers target CTA riders waiting at Garfield Park bus stops

Jessica D'Onofrio Image
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Robbers target riders waiting at Garfield Park bus stops
Police are patrolling bus stops after two separate robberies in the last eight days on Chicago's West Side.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Police are patrolling bus stops and looking for robbers on Chicago's West Side.

A crime alert from police said CTA riders were robbed in two separate incidents while waiting for buses in the city's Garfield Park neighborhood.

Police said two men and a woman targeted the victims in the last eight days. The first victim was robbed near Hamlin and Madison around 3:50 p.m. on May 11. A second victim was robbed a short distance away, near Hamlin and Jackson around 5:45 a.m. on May 16.

Police said in both cases, the victims were standing at a bus stop when a gray minivan pulled up and the suspects jumped out, stealing purses, money and jewelry.

Two of the suspects are described as African American men with dreadlocks, between 20 and 24 years old. They are between 5 ft. 10 in. and 6 ft. tall and weigh between 180 and 200 lbs.

The third suspect is described as an African American woman with blond hair, between 18 and 22 years old. She is between 5 ft. 4 in. and 5 ft. 6 in. tall and weighs between 120 and 140 lbs.

Police urge bus riders to be aware of this crime pattern and pay close attention to their surroundings.