In public talking on your cell phones I was downtown yesterday and their was a lot of
commotion on Michigan Avenue.  Only to find out a guy ripped a cellphone out of a ladies
hand and ran off.  

NEVER sleep on a city that is nicknamed  "Chi-raq" ....chicago is one dangerous city no matter how wealthy the area, keep your eyes opened and always stay aware. (which you should do everywhere)

so many people just milling around staring at their phone and paying next to no attention to their surroundings.  TBH, if you are walking staring or talking on your phone just makes you a target because they know you are not paying any attention to them.  By time it registers what happened and the immediate shock wears off, the person is long gone and you have no description of who could have done it.  If you are lucky someone around you was paying attention, if you aren't then everyone else was staring at their phones too.  

Actually, I would like a thief to try and take my cellphone while I'm holding it!

Practice situational awareness everywhere you go please
Really sucks but it's the world we live in
There are alot of great martial art instructors in the Chicago area

This city is a good city. We're not even in the top 25 of dangerous cities. Don't walk around anywhere with your face in your cell phone. If you do, you deserve what you get.

...of a hot cellphone? Isn't it basically zero? Isn't a stolen cellphone essentially useless?
Hence, why would anyone steal a phone in the first place?

Chicago is a beautiful city. But good I wouldn't say that it's Good. A city where the innocent is constantly being murdered and you know people that has been murdered. I wouldn't claim it as good, soulman.  

lol oh its plenty of places that take them and pay you for it, not as much as a unlocked phone though.