CHICAGO (WLS) — At least six attacks and robberies happened within six hours on Chicago’s North and Northwest sides on Sunday night.
In most of the incidents, the victims were hit with some type of club-like object before the suspects got away, Chicago police said.
New security video captures the moment how one of those attacks unfolded.
Footage shows a dark-colored car pull into an alley, where two men stand. Seconds later, those two men were chased down by at least three suspects, who jumped out of the car.
The victims’ screams did not deter the apparent criminals from striking both of them with an object, police said, before getting back in the car and driving off.
Claire S., who is a beat meeting facilitator with the 19th Police District, said she was planning a safety meeting on Sunday night when the attack took place down the street from her North Center home on North Leavitt Street near West Berteau Avenue.
“It’s terrifying!” Claire said. “Neighbors are being terrorized by carjackers and armed robbers from one end of the city to the other. It has to stop.”
This comes as police are investigating multiple robberies and attacks involving a club-like object. They happened across the city’s North and Northwest sides on Sunday night within a span of six hours.
That includes the beating and robbery of a 66-year-old woman who, police said, was trying to get money from a Chase ATM near West Addison Street and North Elston Avenue at about 10:39 p.m.
She was on the phone with her daughter at the time of the assault.
“I really only know that she was on the phone with me talking about depositing money and the next thing you know it sounded like she was getting dragged out of the car. I could just hear her scream,” said the victim’s daughter, who did not want to be identified. “But I’m really glad she’s OK. Aside from some money and a phone, that can be replaced.”
The victim was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital and treated for a laceration to her head. Her daughter said she’ll need stitches.
“Hopefully, nothing like this ever happens again,” she said. “She’s had a close call like not far from here as well, so you know, sometimes, it’s not even night. It’s during the day they take the opportunity.”
Meanwhile ,people who use that branch were on guard Monday morning.
“I really try not to do it,” Chase customer Laura Velazquez said. “I just use my ATM for everything my debit card, my credit card I try not to come to the bank anymore because it’s happening too often and it’s scary.”
That concern for safety is why Ron Meadows put up security cameras on his home.
“They tell you to be aware of your surroundings, but when three people jump out of a car, there’s nothing you can do,” Meadows said.
Back in October, his cameras captured an armed robbery in an alley near Leavitt Street and Sunnyside Avenue, where a Ryan Liebman’s phone and car were stolen from him at gunpoint.
“There was literally no time to react,” Liebman said.
As the attacks seem to have continued in his neighborhood, Liebman is now pleading to feel safe in the area he calls home.
“We need to increase the police force, one, and we need to actually enforce and detain criminal suspects who are accused of terrible things,” Liebman said.
Police would not say if the attacks were related. So far, in all of the cases, no one is in custody.
