A Lakeview resident is recovering after he was assaulted and robbed Saturday in what appears to be a string of iPhone robberies over the weekend.
Adam Bogucki, said he was on his way to training early Saturday morning when he was followed, attacked and then robbed.
According to police, the incident occurred on the 3300 block of N. Broadway at approximately 6:00 a.m.
Bogucki stopped at 7-Eleven on his way to training that morning. On his way out, he said he noticed a gender non-conforming person behind him.
"I kind of felt she was following me," he said.
According to Bogucki, she asked for the time and then for 50 cents to make a call. She continued to follow him as he crossed the street to get away.
"She said 'give me your phone,'" Bogucki said.
He refused, at which point the attacker pepper sprayed him in the face, grabbed his gym bag and pulled until he fell to the ground in the parking lot of Starbucks.
She grabbed his phone from the ground and ran away. Bogucki and a witness called police, who arrested a suspect shortly after.
J. Armstrong is in custody for the robbery and has been ordered held on $75,000 bond for the robbery, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
Bogucki said he twisted his knee but not sustain significant injuries. He was not taken to the hospital.
His phone was returned to him shortly after the incident, which he said, left him shaken up. Bogucki said he takes the same route to training every Saturday morning.
"Even though I feel like I'm careful, I think I was just overly confident," he said.
At least one other iPhone robbery hit Lakeview that morning, according to police.
A victim was waiting for a bus at 820 W. Belmont at approximately 5:30 a.m. One offender grabbed the victim's cell phone at ran. When the victim chased the attacker, the attacker turned around with a knife.
A recording of Saturday morning's police scanner suggests that other robberies may have occurred in the neighborhood. Windy City Times is investigating. Check back for updates.
[See significant news update at www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Officers-joke-about-boys-in-dresses-in-Lakeview-robberies/38078.html .]