Scammer in Rogers Park

Hi Craig,

I'm a resident of West Ridge / West Rogers Park. I'm contacting you because I'm a reader of the Broken Heart and thought your blog would be one of the best ways to notify the community of possible con artists (or would be muggers) working the Rogers Park Metra stop. This past June my mother was on her way to Ravinia Park and waiting at the Rogers Park Metra stop when a middle-aged Hispanic male with facial hair approached her and told her he was lost. He told her he was attempting to get to Hanover Park. He then proceeded to ask her for money to purchase a ticket. When my mother stated she had no money on her he asked her how she planned to pay for her ticket. She told him she had already purchased a ticket. The only other people on the platform where two male African-American teenagers standing at the opposite end of the platform. Soon after the middle-aged man finished speaking with my mother he began signaling them with hand gestures (hand gestures he attempted to hide with his bookbag). Feeling unsafe my mother quickly left the platform and proceeded to Clark St. She returned to the platform just as the train arrived to find the man and the teenagers still there. They did not board the train and chose instead to remain at the platform.

Tonight I was making my way downtown to meet up with some friends when, as I was waiting alone for the 5:48 pm Metra to Chicago, a middle age Hispanic male with facial hair and a back pack approached me and asked me if I spoke Spanish. Feeling uneasy about the situation I lied to him and told him no. He then proceeded to tell me in English that he was lost and was attempting to get to Hanover Park. As he was talking to me, an African-American teenager appeared at the opposite end of the platform. Remembering my mother's story about the incident in June I told him I had no idea where Hanover Park was and immediately took out my cell phone and stated that I wad dialing the RTA to ask for directions on his behalf. He said that wouldn't be necessary, asked me for the number, and walked away from me. One minute later the Metra train arrived and neither he or the teenager got on the train.

I'm not quite sure what their scam is but by the looks of it they are definitely up to something. I can't imagine that there are two middle-aged Hispanic males with facial hair and a book bag that are lost at the Rogers Park Metra stop and on their way to Hanover Park. I can only guess that the middle-aged man is attempting to see if you have money (or trying to get you to produce your wallet) so the teenager(s) can then run up and mug you. Please notify your readers to be on the lookout for this man and his (one or two) young accomplice(s).

If you do publish this warning to your readers it would be great if you could withhold my name! ('Concerned Metra Rider and Neighbor' would be a great pseudonym).

Let me know if you have any questions about the incident, etc.

Keep up the good work with the blog, along with Capitol Fax and the Reader's Clout City, it's one of the blogs I consistently check when I'm at school in Urbana.

Cheers,

'Concerned Metra Rider and Neighbor'