Chicago police are looking for a suspected serial carjacker targeting the city’s Streeterville neighborhood. NBC 5’s Michelle Relerford speaks with one of the victims.
Chicago police are searching for two men suspected in a string of carjackings in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.
The latest incident took place around 8:30 a.m. Monday in the 300 block of East Illinois Street.
A man told NBC Chicago he had just gotten into his Jeep Grand Cherokee to head to a meeting when a man with a ski mask and a gun began hitting his window.
“He pulls the door open, hits me with the gun and puts it to my forehead and says ‘Give me everything you have, give me your truck or I’ll kill you,’” said Alex, who declined to give his last name for safety concerns. “I get out, he hits me again with the gun and puts it in my face and says ‘Run or I’ll kill you.’
"What immediately goes through your head is ‘I beat cancer, am I really going to get killed in a garage? After everything I’ve been through am I really going to get killed in garage over a car?’ I really felt that’s what he was going to do.”
Alex ran to the garage’s office and while he was reporting the incident to the staff he saw the man speed by, breaking through the gate in his car.
“Something inside me told me to run after him,” he said. “Somehow I caught up to him, window down, ski mask off, and got a very good identification of the man. I feel confident that I would be able to pick him out if I needed to.”
He then filed a report with Chicago police, who said two similar incidents have been reported in the area since Saturday.
Police said another carjacking was reported around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of North McClurg Court less than a mile away.
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On Sunday, an armed robbery also took place in the area on N. McClurg Court. Police are investigating the robbery in connection with the carjackings, but no vehicle was taken.
According to a community alert issued by police, there are two suspects involved in the thefts. In all incidents, the offenders approached the victims while they were inside parking garages.
"These individuals are to be considered armed and dangerous," the alert said.
No arrests had been made as of Tuesday afternoon and two vehicles were still missing, according to Chicago Police News Affairs.
Monday's victim, Alex, said he was glad he managed to get a good description of the suspect.
“I wasn’t thinking, I’ll be honest. It wasn’t a thinking moment for me, it was just kind of a visceral moment,” he said. “The only thing I was thinking was I just don’t want this to happen to somebody else.”
But the string of carjackings has left area residents shocked and frightened.
“It’s very disturbing,” said area Realtor Lonnie Goldblatt. “You always hear of things in other areas, but not around here. It’s getting closer and closer to home so it’s very frightening.”
Alex said he hoped his story would remind Chicago residents to be more aware of their surroundings.
"Sleeping is not an easy thing right now. Shutting my eyes I see the gun in my face and it's terrifying," he said. “I’m 6’2”, 236 pounds, but a gun will always beat a sizable man. It doesn’t matter what your stature is, if someone’s willing to take it to the next level they will.”
Police are asking anyone with information surrounding the incidents to call (312) 742-5778.
