Violent Attack Of 67-Year-Old In Old Town Neighborhood Caught On Camera
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A violent attack caught on camera in Old Town shows a 67-year-old man being punched and shoved to the ground by three men who tried to rob him.
He was walking home just before 8 p.m. when three men seemed to come out of nowhere, ambushing him. It happened on January 25 in the 400 block of West Eugenie Street.
None of his neighbors saw it happen or got a good look at them, but cameras did.
He can be seen on the phone with a friend when one of the three men comes out from behind an SUV parked on the road, grabs him, and tries to take his phone. Another man throws him down, pushes him against a trash can and punches him. he kicks and yells.
"They were trying to get my phone," said the man, who was too shaken to reveal his identity.
All three men took off empty-handed.
"Try to protect your life," he said. "That's all you do. I'm glad they didn't have a weapon. They were looking for somebody. You got to be on guard all the time."
But no one expects something like this, let alone in a family neighborhood.
"I'm scared," another resident said. "It makes me feel like I need to be more aware."
He was just steps from a school, a dog park, and a popular restaurant.
"Kind of makes me rethink my route home now," the woman said.
But he said that's why his story is an important one to share.
"There are more and more," he said. "Crime is not going down in this area. It's going up."
Crime statistics from District 18, which covers the Old Town neighborhood, show aggravated battery and burglary numbers are up this week. Robbery and aggravated battery are up this month. And all three types of crime are up this year.
CBS 2 reached out to 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith's office to see how they're responding to the resident concerns about crimes like this in the area. They said they don't comment on open investigations.
Police are still looking for the three men involved.
