Four Evanston teenagers were arrested early Saturday morning in connection with robbery.

The teenagers were soliciting a 21-year-old Evanston resident for directions in the 900 block of Simpson Street just after midnight, when one of the teenagers threw the man to the ground, said Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan. The man told police that after his head hit the ground, the teens continued to strike him with their fists. The attackers then took his Motorola cell phone and fled, Dugan said.

Paramedics treated the man for cuts to his head and face on the scene, Dugan said.

Police said they arrested two of the teens in the 1200 block of Leonard Place and two others in the 2100 block of Asbury Avenue. The man’s cell phone was also recovered, Dugan said.

The four juveniles were charged with robbery and were petitioned to juvenile court.

Two men arrested in same incident

Two 27-year-old men were arrested Thursday night in the same incident, one charged with obstruction of justice and the other with marijuana possession.

Police stopped the two men in their car in the 2500 block of Church Street at about 9 p.m. for not having a rear registration plate light, when they noticed the smell of marijuana.

Police recognized the front seat passenger for whom they had an arrest warrant, but the man pretended to be someone else and gave officers a fake name, claiming he did not have his ID. The driver also did not have his driver’s license, Dugan said.

Drug-detection dogs found a plastic bag containing 11 grams of marijuana, a scale and several small empty individual plastic bags in the car, he said.

The passenger was charged with a misdemeanor for obstruction of justice. The driver was given three traffic tickets for having no registration plate light, not having a driver’s licence and not having proof of auto insurance. He was also charged with a misdemeanor for possession of marijuana. Both men are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 30.

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