Armed Robbers Cut Man Outside Evanston Garage

EVANSTON, IL — Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred Thursday outside an Evanston garage. Cops were called around 11:25 a.m. for a report that a pair of men, at least one of them with a knife, violently attacked and robbed a 36-year-old in the 300 block of Custer Avenue, police said.

The man, an Evanston resident, told police he was exiting his garage when two men walked up to him and asked if a certain person lived in the home, according to Evanston Police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan. When the man told the two that he did not know who they were talking about, they grabbed him and began trying to empty his pockets.

Police said the man was cut several times on the forearm and once on the back of the neck. He told police one of the assailants knifed him during the struggle. The robbers snatched a reported $2,400 from the man's pocket and fled southbound on foot through the alley to the west of Custer Avenue. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Evanston — or your community. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

After speaking to police, the man was taken to St. Francis Hospital for treatment of non life-threatening injuries and was not admitted, Dugan said.

The suspects were both described as black men between the ages of 30 and 40 years old. One man was described as 6 feet, 2 inches and 270 lbs. He was wearing a black hat, a black sleeveless shirt and navy blue shorts, police said. The other man was said to be taller than 5 foot, 9 inches with a skinny build, wearing a vest with tan sleeves.

Evanston police detectives continue to investigate and asked anyone with any information about Anyone with information about the incident to contact the Evanston Police Department at 847-866-5040 or utilize Text-A-Tip by texting CRIMES (274637) and entering EPDTIP in the message line, followed by the tip information.

Top photo: Evanston police and fire crews on the scene of the Thursday's robbery | Photo by Evanston Fire Department