Four men conducted nine armed robberies in Chicago within the span of an hour Friday morning.
The thieves traveled the West Side in a black SUV, stealing personal belongings from victims held at gunpoint, according to WGN News.
The crime spree started at 6:12 a.m. and ended around 7:30 a.m., police reported.
Chicago police provided the following timeline documenting the robberies, according to WGN:
- 4300 block of West Grand Avenue at 6:12 a.m.
- 1500 block of North Kildare Avenue at 6:27 a.m.
- 1800 block of North La Cross Avenue at 6:30 a.m.
- 4900 block of West Division Street at 6:40 a.m.
- 3100 block of West Augusta Boulevard at 6:45 a.m.
- 1100 block of North Harding Avenue at 6:50 a.m.
- 1400 block of North Hamlin Avenue at 7 a.m.
- 1100 block of North Monticello Avenue at 7:09 a.m.
- 600 block of North St. Louis Avenue at 7:26 a.m.
Batres Tire Shop employees, who remain unidentified, said that the owner of the shop was one of the victims, WGN reported. The 4900 block business had never before been the victim of a crime like this in its five years of operation, the outlet continued.
“It’s kind of scary going to work and having to think about being robbed, but in this area it’s common,” Anthony Castro, a local worker, said, according to WGN. “I try to be aware of my surroundings as much as possible but these things are unpredictable. You don’t know when they can possibly happen but again, don’t ever think it can’t happen because it can.” (RELATED: Voters Most Concerned About Crime And Public Safety In Chicago’s Mayoral Race: POLL)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is under scrutiny for the city’s surging crime rate. A mass exodus from crime-ridden cities like Chicago has begun and Mayor Lightfoot now faces backlash after being caught cheerfully dancing in a Lunar New Year parade last month.