Three teenagers have been charged in a string of recent robberies on Chicago public transit.
Two of them — a 15-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy — are accused of stealing a local actor’s phone on a CTA Red Line train and striking him unconscious, police said.
CBS Chicago reported that the actor, Will Clinger, former host of WTTW’s “Wild Chicago” and current host of “Wild Travels,” was in intensive care after last Monday’s attack.
Clinger, 64, told CBS Chicago that someone grabbed his phone and he chased him as the doors opened at the Addison station. He was struck in his head and hospitalized with a contusion and bleeding in the brain, he told the station.
The teens were arrested Monday in the 5100 block of South Wentworth Avenue, police said.
The girl was also charged with robbing a 74-year-old man on March 21 in the 1000 block of West Fullerton. And on April 25, she allegedly robbed a woman, 28, in the 1100 block of West Thorndale.
A third teen, a 15-year-old boy, and the 17-year-old boy were charged with robbing a 33-year-old man April 13 in the 600 block of South State. They are also accused of robbing a woman the same day in the 1800 block of West Howard Street.
Crime has increased on the CTA during the pandemic despite declines in ridership, prompting police to announce increased staffing on public transit. Even private citizens have volunteered to ride CTA trains to address crime.
Police and CTA officials have said more officers and private security will be patrolling trains, buses and platforms. Transit union officials have called on CTA to bring back conductors aboard trains to further beef up security.
