CHICAGO (CVM) — A pair of armed robbers attacked contractors working on the West Side, as part of a brazen armed robbery caught on video.
“I was honestly shocked,” said Cynthia Bednarz, who lives in East Garfield Park. “I’ve lived here for 24 years and nothing like this has ever happened to us in our neighborhood. We’re a close-knit community.”
Incident Details
Location and Time
The crime occurred around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 2700 block of West Washington Street and was captured on a security camera mounted on the front door of the home.
The Attack
The footage shows a 61-year-old contractor and a 38-year-old contractor working behind their parked truck. They were in the neighborhood to complete a job for a homeowner. The first gunman ran up to the men and ordered them to lie down on the ground. A second gunman appeared and, while the first attacker pointed a gun at one of the workers’ heads, looted the victims’ truck for any valuables to steal.
Community Reaction
“I was honestly shocked,” said Cynthia Bednarz, who lives in East Garfield Park. “I’ve lived here for 24 years and nothing like this has ever happened to us in our neighborhood. We’re a close-knit community.”
Witness Accounts
Flooring installer Julio Varon said he was working nearby and added that he may have been a victim as well. “This is happening to everybody, you know,” he said. “I mean, Chicago is getting worse, you know, even the good areas aren’t the bad areas. It’s everywhere. It’s not just the South Side or the North Side, it’s everywhere.”
Resident Concerns
“Unfortunately, they’ve been feeling emboldened lately. You can see they’ve moved on to doing things during the day on Main Street. They don’t care because they don’t really have any consequences anymore,” said resident Eric Honeywood Burrell.
Aftermath and Investigation
The two contractors were shocked but unharmed. Neighbors said the gunmen ran down the street to an alley after the robbery, where they got into a waiting car. Some of the stolen property may have been found a few blocks away. Chicago police are still investigating the matter and said no one is currently in custody.
For more information on crime and safety in your neighborhood, visit Chicago Police Department Crime Prevention.
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