This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Man Robs Woman to Pay Cell Phone Bill

The man admitted to the robbery, which occurred less than a block from an Evanston Police Department outpost, and was also caught on a surveillance camera, police said.

A 24-year-old Chicago man was charged with felony robbery after police said he snatched cash and lottery tickets out of the hands of a 65-year-old woman on Tuesday.

Police said Jason O. Pinnock, 24, admitted to robbing the woman because he needed money to pay his cell phone bill.

Evanston detectives responded to a robbery report at 5:50 p.m. near the intersection of Howard and Custer streets, less than a block west of the Howard Street Outpost.

Find out what's happening in Evanstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police said a 65-year-old Chicago woman told them that soon after leaving a nearby store with cash and lottery tickets in hand, a man approached her and demanded the money. The offender then reached out, grabbed the cash and tickets, and fled the area on foot, authorities said.

Find out what's happening in Evanstonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After a description of the offender was broadcast to police units in the area, a beat officer arrested Pinnock in an alley near the 900 block of Howard Street, police said, and the woman later positively identified Pinnock as the offender.

Police said footage from a nearby police video surveillance camera showed Pinnock stealing the items from the woman’s hands, walking away and discarding the lottery tickets.

The felony robbery charge carries the potential for an enhanced penalty, police said, because the victim was over the age of 60.

Stay up to date on the latest Evanston news by signing up for our free morning newsletter.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.