UPDATE: Chicago police say woman made up story about jewelry heist
A south suburban woman who said she frequents shops on the Magnificent Mile was robbed of tens of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry Wednesday.
The 68-year-old woman, who asked that her name not be publicized, said she was surrounded by a group of young men on the 700 block of North Michigan Avenue and ordered to hand over her jewels.
"I'm OK. I'm lucky they didn't hit me," the woman told NBC Chicago. "One said, 'Take off your jewelry or I will. Another took my purse."
She said she considered screaming but thought doing so would only enrage her attackers.
She credits the security staff of Saks Fifth Avenue with helping her in the moments immediately after she was robbed.
"It won't keep me from shopping. It's just things I lost. Things can be replaced. Just one piece was special to me," she said.
Those things, however, were very expensive. One piece of jewelry was valued at $50,000 alone, she said.
A police source told NBC Chicago the group made off with about $100,000 worth of jewelry and belongings. No one was in custody Wednesday night.
Several surveillance cameras are in the area and were being reviewed for leads.
