Police charge Evanston teen in robbery

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Updated: February 20, 2012 9:13AM

Evanston police arrested an 18-year-old Evanston man on a robbery charge on Monday and were able to recover an iPod and cell phone taken from victim in the incident.

Bertrum T. Anderson, 18, of 240 Lee St., was charged with robbery in the incident. He is scheduled to appear Jan. 27 in Cook County 2nd District Court, Skokie.

The robbery occurred around 2:50 p.m. Monday. Police responded to the area of Greenleaf Street and Dewey Avenue after receiving a report that a robbery had just occurred, said Cmdr. Jay Parrott, the Evanston Police Department’s public information officer.

At the scene, the victim told police that he was approached by three males, about 18 years old. One of them demanded the victim’s property and then knocked him to the ground, Parrott said.

The victim said he was pinned to the ground while the offender removed his iPod and cell phone.

Officers on the scene broadcast a description of the offenders to nearby police units in the area, said Parrott.

Members of the department’s plain-clothes tactical unit then located two individuals within a few blocks matching the description provided by the victim, he said.

He said the individual was then taken into custody and transported to police headquarters, 1454 Elmwood Ave., for further investigation.

Officers also recovered a cell phone from the arrestee, identified as Bertrum T. Anderson.

The cell phone was positively identified as belonging to the victim, Parrott said. He said police learned through their continuing investigation that the victim’s iPod was sold to a nearby store for cash. Police recovered the iPod from the store owner and returned it to the victim, Parrott said.

He said the other individuals detained during the investigation were released without charge based on information obtained by police that the offender acted alone in the robbery.