Police warn of armed robberies in Irving Park

(CHICAGO) Police are cautioning residents of the Irving Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side after two recent armed robberies were reported on the same block.

Both robberies occurred in the 4300 block of North Francisco, according to an alert from Area North detectives. The first was on May 27 at 2:50 a.m., while the second occurred on June 7 at 3:50 p.m.

In the first robbery, three men approached the victim in an alley, demanded money, pulled out a handgun and put it to the victim’s head, police said. The suspects made off with cash and a cellphone.

The suspects were described as a white man between 18 and 20 years old, standing 6-feet and weighing 160 pounds; a black man between 25 and 30, standing 6-feet; and black man between 18 and 24 years old, also standing 6-feet, police said.

In the most recent robbery, a single man was in the alley, “acting as though he needs help,” police said. The victim walked over and the suspect hit them in the head with a handgun before taking cash.

The suspect was described as a Hispanic man between 18 and 24 years old, standing 6-feet and weighing 140 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information on the robberies is asked to call Area North detectives at (312) 744-8263.