A man was in custody Saturday in the robbery of an elderly couple at their Cragin home that marked at least the fourth time in about a week that older victims were targeted for home invasions on the Northwest Side, authorities said.
In the most recent attack, a man climbed into a home in the 5100 block of West Wellington Avenue through a back window about 1:19 a.m. A male suspect was taken into police custody Saturday evening in connection with the home invasion, police Chief of Patrol Fred Waller said in an unrelated news conference Saturday night.
The Wellington attacker approached an 84-year-old man in the living room, implying he was armed. The man and his 81-year-old wife handed over a wallet, checkbook, jewelry and $30 in cash, police said. The attacker, described as a man about 6 feet tall, then fled the home.
The home invasion follows a string of similar incidents that began May 19 in the Jefferson Park, Albany Park and Grand Central police districts that have left seniors seriously injured.
Police spokesman Jose Estrada said Saturday morning that the latest attack could be part of the pattern.
"Given the similarities in this incident and the ones suspected in the alert, there's a possibility that these incidents are connected," he said.
Waller said it was not yet determined whether the person in custody Saturday was connected to the earlier home invasions.
In the recent cases, home invaders have broken into homes or climbed into them through unlocked windows, according to police. In the attacks, the home invaders have gotten in, then threatened and battered victims and demanded their property, according to a police alert warning residents of the Jefferson Park, Albany Park and Grand Central police districts about the crimes.
One home invasion happened just after 11:45 p.m. Thursday in the 5400 block of West Henderson Street in the Cragin neighborhood, when two male attackers got in through an open window and battered two elderly victims, injuring one of them seriously, according to police. The robbers got away with property and cash.
Another attack took place about 9:35 p.m. Tuesday in the 4800 block of West Nelson Street, also in the Cragin neighborhood, according to the alert. Two male attackers pried open a rear door, battered one person and took the victim’s property, police said.
In the earliest known home invasion in the pattern, in the Irving Park neighborhood, at least one attacker forced his way into a home in the 4100 block of North Avers Avenue about 1:10 p.m. on May 19, according to police. The attacker or attackers took property and left an elderly victim seriously injured.
Police do not have a detailed description of the attackers, who are described only as males who were wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information about the home invasions is asked to call Area North detectives at 312-744-8263.
The Chicago Tribune's Grace Wong contributed.
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