Cops Halt CTA Train to Nab Suspected Robbers

An iPhone GPS helped Chicago Police foil a Wednesday night armed robbery in Wicker Park by leading them to two men who they say are the culprits.

They charged Albert Hill, 17, of the 4500 block of South Calumet Avenue, and Michael Jones, 18, of the 4400 block of South Greenwood Avenue, with one felony count each of robbery. Officers in the Chicago Police Department's 14th District, which covers Bucktown and Wicker Park, say the duo approached a 26-year-old man in the 1300 block of North Leavitt Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The victim was walking home in that area when one of the suspects approached him from behind, grabbed him around the neck, put him in a choke hold and threw him to the ground, police said. They said Hill and Jones then grabbed the man's iPhone from his coat pocket and took off running.

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"Officers arrived on the scene and were able to track down the GPS location of the stolen phone using an iPhone application, which led them to the Damen Blue Line stop," police said, in an alert issued Thursday. "The signal began traveling southbound at which time officers notified OEMC to stop the train at the Division Street stop."

The officers boarded the last train car, where they found Jones and Hill, who matched the description given by the victim, they said. The victim was able to identify them and get his phone back.

Jones and Hill were scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.

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