Subway restaurant robber busted with water pistol and a note saying “I have a gun. This is a robbery.”

Chicago police have apprehended a 19-year-old man, Emir Esenbekov, for allegedly robbing two Subway restaurants on the Northwest Side within a span of 40 minutes. Esenbekov now faces two counts of aggravated robbery in connection with the incidents that took place in Norwood Park in the early hours of June 9.

The first robbery occurred at the Subway located at 5232 North Nagle around 1:40 a.m. Esenbekov reportedly handed the clerk a demand note and fled the scene with cash. Less than an hour later, he targeted another Subway at 6352 North Milwaukee.

Fortunately, Chicago police were already aware of the first robbery and had stationed themselves at the Milwaukee Avenue location. They observed Esenbekov, who matched the description of the suspect, entering and exiting the restaurant. As officers moved in to apprehend him, a store employee informed them that Esenbekov had just robbed the establishment.

Upon his arrest, Esenbekov reportedly made an “excited utterance” upon seeing the police, confessing, “I robbed Subway.” Authorities found a water pistol in his hoodie pocket, along with $155 in cash and a note that read, “I have a gun. This is a robbery.”

Judge Shauna Boliker ordered Esenbekov to be detained, stating that he “terrorizes unassuming store clerks with a water gun and a note.”

CWBChicago, a local news outlet founded in 2013 by residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown, continues to provide detailed public safety reporting for various North Side areas, including Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, and Uptown. Their mission is to deliver original news with better context and depth compared to mainstream media sources. For more information, readers can reach out to the editorial team at news@cwbchicago.com.