It's unclear if the robbery happened on the street or in the subway.
According to eyewitnesses, after the theft occurred, the offender ran down the stairs to the CTA Red Line subway station, where he fled the scene on a southbound train.
The crook is African American and approximately 5’10”. He was wearing a black hat, a black jacket, and baggy jeans with his blue underwear showing.
Police said the suspect's hair was braided and he was also wearing a pair of headphones on his head.
No further details are available.
It's so tempting to show off your electronics, especially when you're proud of them. I have a gorgeous new smartphone that I love and show to friends and co-workers, but on the street, and on the CTA - it's in my bag and it stays there. Phone calls can wait, web surfing can wait. Keeping it is worth more than showing it off and getting mugged for it. It seems that most muggings include the taking of a phone, even more than money these days. Keep your stuff, people! Put it away already!
ReplyDeleteHow many people have to get their iPhones stolen before people realize they need to keep them in their pockets, purses or whatever?!!! Come folks! Wake up! If you are talking on a cell phone chances are you are not paying attention to the people around you!
ReplyDelete“Keeping it is worth more than showing it off and getting mugged for it… Keep your stuff, people! Put it away already!”
ReplyDeleteIt’s funny that when put in a slightly different context, this type of advice is often vilified as “blaming the victim”.
I don't have an iphone but have every right to check my e-mail, look at pictures, read the news or whatever on my "smart phone" while I'm on boring the train. I'm not "showing it off". Sometimes I even using it to distract myself from the annoying ghetto hoodrat bubble gum smacking, others screaming to their baby mama on theirs or Ned the Wino giving me that stank eye trying to start trouble.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree people have "every right to check my e-mail, look at pictures, read the news or whatever on my "smart phone", there was a time when people didn't have to be so connected..I'm just saying. The other thing is, why set yourself up to become a victim because of that right? Iphones, smart phones, blackberrys, IPads and many other high tech gadgets are the NUMBER 1 thefts on the CTA and out on the city streets. With those statistics, I'd sure as hell put it away. When you are doing your thing on your high tech gadget, you are NOT paying attention. Rights don't mean you have to be stupid.
ReplyDeleteI can pay attention while checking my e-mail Towanda. I am very cognizant of my surroundings. Very good peripheral vision, ears, nose..... They can take my damn phone, I'll get another one. The one's with their earbuds in while entranced in their phone, yes, they're ripe pickin's.
ReplyDeleteWhat you are implying though is no different than somebody distracted reading a newspaper and getting their purse snatched (back in 1963). It's a new day.
Towanda, I did used to agree with some of the things you've said in the past (1-2 years ago on other forums) but your posts have turned into nothing but lunatic, ignorant, redundant, racist rants. Do you ride the train like a deer in headlilghts and your head spinning around like Linda Blair's because you're so "smart"? That's about the opposite extreme of your accusation on someone reading their e-mail.
Anyway, anyone wanting to tangle with me over my phone without a gun to my head......let's go.
everyone with headphones on, looking at their iphones, making it easy for muggers....and then you think you can fight for your rights, and find yourself at the wrong end of people who dont give an F if you die....or fall in front of the train. They all need to wake up. These dumbass people waving valuable shit around infront of seriously HumanValuedeficient haveNots just put the rest of us at constant risk. Would I step up to help one of these people if they got robbed in front of me? good question...
ReplyDeleteWho's to say they're not going to just knock you over and steal your shoes while you're "distracted" sliding your pass through the reader?
ReplyDeleteI mean, seriously, people. There's a difference in truly being distracted and simply talking on your cell phone.
Do you know of any "real" Black mothers? They can nurse a baby, stir a pot, kick the other brat back with their left foot, talk on TWO cell phones and hear what the teenagers are doing in the upstairs back bedroom, chase a robber off the front porch - all at the same time.
But I get it with you Chicago people though. You're so damn scared. There's a very attractive White guy that I just couldn't date because he had to dress that "urban slob" all the time so he didn't get beat down in Edgewater daily. That's not his true style. He's very clean-cut. Ain't livin' like that, sorry. Have it.
You'd think one of these thugs would mix it up and wear khaki pants and a nice, Bill Cosby-esque sweater to fool their target, but nooo....gotta wear the uniform! Only a dumbdumb at this point would have their guard down around one of these guys.
ReplyDeleteWhen anarchy rules soon every redneck is gonna shoot ANYBODY dressed like a banger, white, black, latino, whatever, and I'm gonna be cheering them on.
Anonymous@11:14, I don't care if you agree with what I say or not. IF you really read this site, you would know I very rarely take the train AND I do not have any of those high tech gadgets because when I leave my home, I don't feel the need to stay connected 24/7. I'm out having fun. Our cell phone is strictly for calling 911. And one more thing, there was NOT one thing in my comment that was
ReplyDelete" lunatic, ignorant, redundant, racist".. Seem to make sense to me and a couple other commenters but you just felt the need to single me out. How convenient. Keep reading your emails on your high tech gadget...and I hope no one hits you in the back of the head when you're reading them.
Oh yea Anonymous@11:14, I can't wait to see how you talk when you or someone you love becomes a victim. Bet your whole attitude changes.
ReplyDeletePeople should think of keeping their electronics protected in the same way we think of defensive driving. We anticipate the driver near us making a sudden move, and brake appropriately. Likewise, we should anticipate someone near being desperate enough to take our valuables, and keep them hidden. These economic times have made the desperate even more so.
ReplyDeleteI went for a run through North Center/Lakeview today (not my usual route). It was rather quiet out, but I surprised at least 5 people who were walking and staring into cell phones, totally absorbed/oblivious. I could have snatched all of those phones and kept running before any of the morons realized it. One guy I almost ran directly into because he was completely startled by my presence; he jumped in surprise. It was amusing.
ReplyDeleteBtw, I'm a 5'2" white chick. You are all easy picking if you've got a phone glued to your face. Wake up.
I single you out Towanda because your "these GD ghetto THUGS, scum of the earth......." comment must be just copied and pasted from article to article. You rarely have anything constructive to say about the particular incident but "these GD ghetto scum of the earth THUGS....." diatribe is a given. Grow up.
ReplyDelete....and I ride the train daily, Towanda. Never been bothered over a cell phone on the train. I never will either. I don't bury my head in it and bump into other people walking down the street like the average Chicagoan either.
ReplyDeleteI've been told I "look like a cop" and have been asked as well. Maybe that in itself and my size is to my benefit but in my general perception, it's the average citizen here that put's THEMSELVES in that "ripe pickins'" category. You people have no "presence" here, "no swagga" is a fitting term. You people can't walk a straight line down the street, and stay to the right. You wander, you wobble, with your heads down bumping into each other (cell phone or not). It's noticed. Those are the one's being robbed, no doubt. And they're Chicago natives with no respect for others personal space. Met some friends at Union Station from my hometown. That's the FIRST thing he commented on when we hit the sidewalk "this is irritating", he said.
Been to just about every major city in this country and, like my home city, people pass to the right - except here.
I don't get messed with here (except by your vagrants, oops PC police, "homeless" people who think I "look rich"). It'll take at least 3 of those scrawny hoodrats you're all so scared to death of here - or a gun.
Anonymous@10:22,First, I Have NEVER used the "GD ghetto thug" term because I wouldn't say or use "GD".
ReplyDeleteSecond, FINALLY we agree on something:) I find the people not walking/passing on the right extremely irritating as well. I also find their attitude that they own the sidewalks pretty rude too and expect you to move...ya know, 3-4 abreast? .
I doubt you have read EVERY comment I make in ALL the articles so I will excuse your comment that I "rarely have anything constructive to say". Like I said, perhaps when you become a victim, your attitude will change and it won't be pretty. As far as I'm concerned, anyone who preys upon innocent people is, and always will be, A GHETTO THUG!
Good for you that you look like you would kick the hell out of someone if they messed with you. Most women, like myself, don't look that way. Did you catch the part where I said I very rarely ride the train and DON'T have any high tech gadgets??? Can't imagine why my partner and I have both been victims of these ghetto thugs then! Lucky you!
Oh, and I'm probably old enough to be your mother/grandmother and have probably seen much more then you in this city let alone the not so good changes.