Police said in both incidents, the thief walked into a restaurant and approached someone sitting on the table with their cell phone.
Each time, the thief dropped something on the floor to distract the victim, put a bag on the table covering the victim’s cell phone, muttered to the victim, picked up the object from the floor and took the bag along with the victim’s cell phone.
In one case, the thief made off with stolen credit cards found in the victim’s phone case and attempted to use the cards at a department store.
The first theft occurred on Thursday, January 15 at 7:20 PM in the 200 block of North Green Street in the Fulton Market District. The second occurred between 2:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 29 in the 100 block of West Illinois Street in River North.
Police did not name the specific restaurants where the thefts occurred.
According to police, the thief was wearing a skullcap and a black hooded sweatshirt.
Anyone with information can call Belmont Area detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com and use reference # P26-3-003.
#Thief #stolen #cell #phones #restaurant #patrons #Chicagos #trendy #neighborhoods