Chicago police have released surveillance photos of a group of teenagers who they say attacked a 23-year-old man after stealing his wife’s iPhone over the weekend on the Red Line subway downtown.

The couple were on the Red Line near State and Lake Streets about 10:20 p.m. Saturday when the woman dropped her iPhone and one of a group of teens on the “L” picked it up, police said.

The husband told the teen to give it back, and that’s when the group attacked him, pushing him to the ground and punching and kicking him, police said. Police previously had not clarified whether the attack took place on the "L."

In an alert releasing the photos, police did not specify how many teenagers were involved, but photos depict at least a half-dozen teens. Police did not release detailed descriptions of any of the teens, but said one of them was a girl or woman and the rest were men or boys.

The attackers then fled the train at the State-Lake stop on the Red Line subway, 188 N. State St. The surveillance photos show the attackers at what appear to be both the platform and turnstile levels of the subway station.

The man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for treatment following the attack, but police did have any detailed information about his injuries.

Anyone with information about the robbery and mob attack is asked to call Area Central detectives at 312-747-8382.

SOURCE:http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-police-release-surveillance-photos-of-teens-in-red-line-robbery-mob-attack-20120612,0,3341784.story