PERSONS OF INTEREST QUESTIONED IN SPREE OF 9 ARMED ROBBERIES ON NORTH WESTSIDE

An early morning armed- robbery spree on the Northwest Side on Monday had police searching for several suspects.

Late Monday, Chicago Police were questioning two people of interest. The two juveniles were arrested Monday in the 7600 block of North Rogers Avenue, Chicago Police said. Police also recovered a 2005 black Nissan sedan that was wanted in connection with the robberies.

The robberies — at least nine of them — all occurred in a span of about six hours, starting just before midnight Sunday, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said at a Monday morning news conference.

All were in CPD’s 17th District, which is north of Belmont Avenue, bounded roughly by Cicero Avenue on the west and the Chicago River on the east.

Johnson said there were two to four suspects. Police collected video evidence showing them wearing hooded sweatshirts and riding in a dark- colored Nissan.

“It looks like it’s at random right now,” Johnson said. “I would encourage everybody to pay attention to their surroundings.”

The number of robberies in such a short period of time indicates the suspects had planned the attacks, Johnson said. No one was injured in any of the robberies, police said.

The last attempted robbery took place around 6 a. m., CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said after Johnson’s press conference. In that incident, the suspects tried to steal a limo while the engine was running but were unsuccessful. They struggled with the driver, then fled.

Guglielmi said the department has added extra undercover surveillance in the area.