Four Robberies Reported in 10 Days in Oak Park

Four robberies have been reported since Nov. 7 in Oak Park, and police have made an arrest in one of the incidents.

Arriving officers Nov. 13 in the 800 block of South Humphrey Avenue captured one of the offenders in an armed robbery who was hiding in an alley after a chase, according to the Village of Oak Park.

The most recent incident was at about 8:30 p.m. Monday night on South Humphrey Avenue near Jackson Boulevard.

All four incidents involved two or more people physically accosting people on foot and taking cell phones and personal items.

No one has been seriously physically injured in the robberies, according to the village. Police say the robbery experiences were traumatic for the people who were robbed, pushed to the ground, punched or kicked.

A handgun was implied or showed in three of the robberies. One robbery involved a teenage victim and teenage assailants, the village reports. Witness descriptions indicate two of the incidents may be connected.

Oak Park residents are urged to stay alert and report suspicious people or activity right away.

“These types of crimes are difficult to solve without the help of the community,” said Police Chief Rick C. Tanksley in a statement. “We ask residents to keep their eyes and ears open for unusual activity or suspicious individuals in their neighborhoods and to never hesitate to call 911.”

Police have provided the following personal safety tips:

• Trust your instincts. Cross the street to avoid groups that are loitering or hanging out.
• Be aware of your surroundings and avoid walking alone.
• Give up your possessions. Don’t risk personal injury.

Anyone with information on any crime can report it anonymously to Police by calling 708-434-1636. Anonymous crime tips also can be made online at oak-park.us/crimetip.