Satisfying karma for idiot mugger who couldn't resist giving finger to camera while robbing woman on crime-ridden Chicago subway

Published: 19:44, 3 July 2026 | Updated: 19:47, 3 July 2026 A Chicago man who taunted a surveillance camera on public transit by flipping it off during an armed robbery was identified thanks to the image - and has now been handed a lengthy jail sentence. David Mitchell, 19, was one of five people accused of robbing a 19-year-old woman aboard a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line train near the 69th Street station on September 28, 2024.  After the robbery, Chicago police released surveillance images of the suspects in an effort to identify Mitchell, the only alleged participant who had not yet been arrested.  One image showed Mitchell staring directly into the CTA security camera while raising his middle finger. Investigators said that cockiness led to Mitchell's downfall because the crystal-clear image it provided helped them to track him down.   According to prosecutors, Mitchell was on juvenile parole for carjacking and had previously been adjudicated delinquent multiple times when he joined four other people, including two juveniles, in the robbery. Police said one of the juveniles pointed a firearm at the victim while Mitchell and the others demanded her belongings.  The group allegedly stole the woman's cellphone, wallet and backpack before fleeing. David Mitchell is seen extending his middle finger toward a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) surveillance camera after prosecutors said he took part in the armed robbery of a 19-year-old woman He pleaded guilty to two robberies and other charges before being sentenced to an effective 16 years in prison, with all of his sentences ordered to run concurrently Police arrested the other four suspects soon after the robbery, but Mitchell remained at large until investigators publicly released the CTA surveillance images. When officers eventually arrested him, prosecutors said they found a loaded 9mm handgun in his jacket pocket.  Mitchell allegedly claimed he had 'found' the firearm inside a car. In addition to the CTA robbery, Mitchell was charged in connection with a separate armed robbery that occurred on September 11, 2023. Prosecutors alleged he robbed another woman at gunpoint on Chicago's South Side. Court records show Mitchell pleaded guilty to all of the charges. Mitchell was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the CTA robbery and another 16 years for the earlier armed robbery.  He also received three years for the gun offense and another three years for aggravated battery of a peace officer, a charge prosecutors said he picked up after his arrest.  All of the sentences will be served concurrently, leaving Mitchell with an effective prison sentence of 16 years. Under Illinois law, inmates may receive day-for-day credit for good behavior, reducing the amount of time they spend behind bars. Court records also show Mitchell received 622 days of credit for time already served in the Cook County Jail while awaiting trial, leaving him with roughly six years and four months remaining on his sentence. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.