For liquor salesman Willie Whitehead, the tools of his trade came in handy when a gang of youths surrounded him in the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side.



As the muggers pulled on his briefcase and ripped his suit, grabbing for his cell phone, the 71-year-old Whitehead said he lifted a sample bottle of tequila over his head.



“I told them to come on with it. I was going to hit them with it,’’ Whitehead said.



The youths ran off and Whitehead said he got in his car and called police. Officers arrested two suspects near the scene, and the rest after chasing them on foot. They ranged in age from 11 to 18.



Whitehead said he had been leaving a sales call at a liquor store in the 5900 block of South Halsted Street Wednesday afternoon when four youths surrounded him while another stood waiting at the corner.



“Two distracted me and two came behind me and grabbed my bag’’ Whitehead said. “We did a little scuffling.’’



Whitehead said his suit was ripped when one youth tried to grab his phone out of his pocket. Finally, he lifted the bottle of tequila above his head and threaten the youths. They backed away, and Whitehead said he retreated into his car.



The youths scattered when police arrived, but officers were able to round them up and Whitehead positively identified all of them.



Jesse Jackson, 18, of the 11700 block of South Perry Avenue and Demetrius Shields, 17, of the 6200 block of South Marshfield Avenue, were charged with felony attempted robbery of a senior. The other three, boys 11, 14, and 16, were charged as juveniles with attempted robbery of a senior, police said.



“I wasn’t really scared because they were young,’’ Whitehead said, though he was "pissed off" by the brazen attack.



A sales representative for a liquor distribution company, Whitehead said he was the victim of a robbery last year. “I was in my garage, they put a gun to my face and took my wallet, watch and rings,’’ he said.



Whitehead said he doesn’t plan on changing his habits but will be more careful because he has heard of a rash of similar “devious” incidents in that area.



