Two women and two men have been charged after police say they led officers on a chase that ended in the Loop during rush hour Thursday when police tried to stop them on suspicion of robbing an Old Town store.
The strong-arm robbery took place about 2:40 p.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of North West Street, when four people grabbed items in the store and shoved the store manager to the ground when she tried to block their way, police said Sunday.
Keyana Palmer, 19, was charged with felony aggravated battery of a merchant and retail theft; Ebonie Collins, 18, was charged with felony theft; Curry Williams, 24, was charged with attempted retail theft; and Anthony Hayes, 18, who was driving the other three, was cited with various traffic violations, including failure to obey a right light, failure to obey a stop sign and failure to reduce speed.
The incident began after four people were suspected in an earlier robbery that happened at the boutique store on North Wells Street, police said. After the manager was pushed to the ground, the four were able to run to a waiting gray Nissan.
Police tried to stop the suspected vehicle, but the driver refused to pull over.
Later, officers spotted the car and the driver led police on a chase that began at Chicago Avenue and State Street, with the driver of the Nissan hitting multiple vehicles during the chase. The chase ended a short time later at 6:27 p.m. Thursday at Randolph Street and Stetson Avenue, police said.
No injuries were reported, police said.
Palmer, of the 1100 block of West 79th Street, was ordered held in lieu of $25,000 bail in a hearing before Judge Donald Panarese on Friday, while Collins, of the 7500 block of South Essex Avenue, was ordered released on his own recognizance, according to court records. Williams appeared Friday before Judge Anthony John Cabrese and was ordered held in lieu of $5,000 bail, according to court records.
Because Hayes, of the 9200 block of South Albany Avenue, was only issued traffic citations, he has not yet appeared in court.