Tonight, around 11 pm, I was mugged at the bus stop, near Briar/Sheridan in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago. while waiting for the 151 bus to the Loop. A young black man pulled up in a red car, jumped out and grabbed my iPhone out of my hand. He got back in the car and sped off. I didn’t get a good look at him nor was I able to remember the license plate. Thankfully, only the iPhone was taken and I wasn’t hurt. I have reported the incident to the Chicago police department.
I’m still shaking from this incident. I took the bus into work (I work 3rd shift) but all my coworkers told me to go home. I’m having a couple of drinks to take the edge off.
I’ve shut the iPhone off, not really sure what the thief is going to do with it.
Welcome to the club. Mine was yanked out of my hands a couple years ago while i was taking a picture–in broad daylight, on a crowded street, on a Saturday afternoon. It’s a tough lesson, but really, it’s quite silly to wave them (mini computers in high demand) around on the streets.
Just curious–any reason you felt the need to mention the thief’s skin color? It really doesn’t seem relevant in the context of the way you presented your story.
ETA: were you assaulted? That is usually standard in the definition of “mugging.”
I experienced something similar when I was at UChicago, and it really freaked me out. In the grander scheme of things it’s a fairly minor incident, but I remember feeling so angry and violated. Sometimes I still have nightmares.
I mentioned the skin color as well as the car color and location on the odd chance that someone might be familiar with the situation. There’s also the chance he might be caught and someone who read this thread would see the story.
The guy shoved me as he grabbed the phone so I guess that is as close to assault as he got. I’m glad my instincts kicked in to not fight back.
I see your point about wanting to connect with others locally, about this story. The explanation would have been nice to hear up front. My phone was stolen by a young black male as well. When I gave his description to the police, I was asked, “how black was he?”
Ah yes, the Straight Dope… where you can post about being the victim of a scary thing late at night only to have nitpicking “special” folks come in and pick apart your wording, insinuate you’re a racist, and belittle your experience. Let’s just go ahead and add that you hate men to the pile now so we can avoid that later since you did mention it was a guy who robbed you.
Sorry this happened to you, dalej42 and even sorrier people can’t just refrain from posting if they can’t keep their nonsense to themselves.
LOL, the police officer who took the report was black, she seemed to be used to stories like mine. I don’t expect them to find the phone, but since I live in the neighborhood maybe it will mean an extra police car passing by from time to time.
This sounds passive aggressive to me and it seems to me that the only person pooping up this thread with jerkiness is you. I asked a simple question in an appropriate manner and offered both explanation and then context about why I did so. I am unsure why you felt the need to bring such hostility and accusation into the conversation. It appears that you are interested in starting up something, but I am not. Perhaps you can find someone or somewhere else to take this negativity.
It was so odd. The officer asked, “how black?” and after I closed my jaw (which had dropped on the ground :p) I remember thinking, “is there some continuum of different shades of black that I am supposed to know, like celebrities or something?” Ha!
Your instincts were right not to fight back, btw…where mine was stolen, people have been shot for trying to get back their stuff.
ETA: do you have the tracking device turned on? The police have had some success with this…
The one time I didn’t fight back I was badly beaten and nothing was stolen except possibly for a bizarre model of cell phone I had ordered on ebay from India(I mention this because the charger was so obscure it was useless to the thief) with nothing but a few pre paid minutes on it. It started with me being hit or punched in the back of the head I think, all I can remember is my right field of vision going black and distorting and the next thing I know I am on the ground being kicked by two young males. No demands were made and the attack was inexplicable.
One other time I maced some guys and fled, but I was in a taxi and they were a group and had a gasoline can so I judged the that the safest course of action. I did see them beating the driver as I ran so I think I judged right there.
No kidding, dalej42. I hope you’re feeling a little less shaken and a few drinks help calm the nerves. I lived in Lakeview for 10 years before I hiked north to RoPa. Someone asked me why I wanted to move to the “ghetto” after LV (she being from somewhere around Humboldt Park, I was like "??? really, :dubious: Have you been to Loyola? But that’s another thread). I never felt any more or less safe in either place, the only exception being that I take the Red Line now more than buses - that shit gets sketchy! But the neighborhood IMO doesn’t matter, people get their phones taken in every neighborhood!
What the heck do they do with the disabled smart phones? Is it as simple as switching the SIM? Do they just see what they can do with it until service is shut off? Can they really sell them? Get cash for parts or something? It would seem even more difficult with an iPhone since they have to be registered to Apple in order to use iTunes or the Cloud, so what use are they to the thief? I never understood that. Hardly seems worth the trouble.
I’m wondering if the officer who took your report shed any light on what might be happening to your phone right now. Sorry it happened. I don’t know what’s worse, the shock of the incident itself or the PITA replacement process and being without in the meantime.
