Armed Robber Approached Women in Lake View and Lincoln Park

LAKEVIEW/LINCOLN PARK, IL — Lakeview and Lincoln Park residents are rattled after armed robbers approached women in two separate incidents Tuesday night, ABC7 Chicago reports.

A 29-year-old woman just arrived home in Lakeview when a man approached her and grabbed her handbag.

The victim told ABC7 the man said, "Excuse me, miss. Can I have your purse?"

After the woman said no, the man allegedly moved his shirt away, displayed a gun in his waist band and said, "Yes, or I'll kill you."

The man then took her purse and keys before he fled in a vehicle driven by an accomplice.

About an hour later, a similar situation occurred on West Roslyn Place in Lincoln Park.

A 61-year-old woman was getting out of her car when she was met by an armed robber demanding she give him her jewelry.

The woman yelled for help, and the would-be robber was scared off by her screams. The suspect took off in a dark-colored SUV that was parked down the block, leaving southbound on Clark Street.

The landlord of the victim in Lakeview, William Gibson, told ABC7 that the recent crime is concerning.

"In the last six months it's gotten much worse. There's never been this kind of crime in this area," Gibson said.

Police do not believe the cases are related because while the offenders were of similar description, they were dressed differently.

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