Hermosa armed robberies prompt community alert

CHICAGO - Four armed robberies occurred in Hermosa on the Northwest Side early Monday morning, and police are warning residents to be on alert.

In each of the robberies, armed suspects exited a black sedan and demanded people’s property, police said. In once of the incidents, the offenders hit a victim with a gun, and in two of the incidents the suspects spoke "fluent Spanish" to victims.

The robberies occurred in a 20-minute span Monday, starting at 5:35 a.m. in the 2300 block of North Kostner Avenue; 5:50 a.m. in the 4400 block of West Diversey Avenue and 4000 block of West Fullerton Avenue; and in the 1900 block of North Keeler Avenue about 5:54 a.m.

The suspects were described as two to four Black or Hispanic men wearing dark-colored masks, according to police.

Last year, Chicago saw the largest spike in robberies in 20 years, city data shows.