Crime & Safety

Armed Robbers Strip Drunken Man of His Coat

Police say a pair of armed robbers targeted a 58-year-old man over the weekend, hitting him in the head with a handgun before taking his coat.

Police say a 58-year-old Back of the Yards man was cornered by two men on Friday night and robbed at gunpoint on the 1900 block of West Belmont Avenue.

The duo remained at large as of Jan. 2, according to reports. The victim, who police said was intoxicated, reportedly stopped around 6:10 p.m. to light a cigarette while walking. At that point, two men who police believe are 25- to 30-years-old approached him.

One bashed a handgun against the back of the man’s head, saying, “This is a stick up. Give us your money,” according to the report. The second man stood in front of the victim and tried to pull valuable items from his coat pockets.

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After struggling for a few seconds, the armed man simply pulled off the man’s entire coat before running away. Both got into a nearby car and drove off, police say.

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The man chased the car for a while before giving up, according to the report. He walked into a local business and asked the employees to call the police, saying he’d just been robbed. However, the staff refused to help and sent the man away, police said.

The report didn’t specify which local business he entered.

The man reportedly walked for about an hour to the police station near the corner of North Halsted Street and Addison Street to file a report.

Police say he was very flustered. He told officers he takes medication to calm his nerves, and earlier in the night he “drank a 40.”

Police are still investigating the robbery.

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