Evanston police arrest teenager following undercover sting

The Evanston Police Department has arrested a teenager following an undercover operation linked to two sexual offenses reported in south Evanston on Monday.

The initial incidents involved two separate women: one reported being grabbed by a man on a bicycle near Custer Avenue and Brummel Street, while another reported a man exposing himself near Sherman Avenue and South Boulevard.

Following a review of video evidence, members of the department’s Special Operations Group identified a suspect matching the descriptions. During a sting operation, an undercover detective observed the teenager riding a bicycle past her multiple times before he approached and grabbed her buttocks.

The suspect was apprehended after a foot chase. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has approved charges including one count of criminal sexual abuse, a Class 4 felony, and one count of aggravated battery to a police officer, a Class 2 felony. Due to his status as a juvenile, the suspect's identity has not been released. He was released to a parent pending a juvenile court appearance.