Chicago crime: Pilsen business, street vendor targeted by armed robbers Sunday morning

CHICAGO (WLS) — A Pilsen business and Faith Street traders were targeted by armed robbers on Sunday morning.

Miguel Salgado, owner of Angel’s Tire Shop on 18th Street, said a customer called in what should have been a quick fix when the incident happened Sunday morning.

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Seconds after the driver got out to greet employees, a blue sedan pulled up and out of sight of surveillance cameras. Before you even see the gun, the customer and staff’s hands seem to immediately surrender and shoot in the air.

“They got out of the car and told us not to move. Hands up, where’s the money,” Salgado said.

Two masked men with guns rifle through the pockets of the customer and two tire shop employees, one out of camera frame.

“It’s not every day you wake up with a gun pointed at you,” Salgado said.

One of the men was brandishing a gun and the other was armed with what appeared to be a long gun. They took hundreds of dollars in cash and the customer’s keys before speeding away in the Jeep.

Read more: CPD agrees to increase patrols in effort to protect street vendors, community leaders say

Around the same time, Salgado said at least two masked men held up a loyal vendor a few blocks away near 21st and Damen.

Chicago police confirmed multiple victims and street vendors were robbed.

“This is really sad,” said 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez. “We’re talking about street vendors who work eight to 10 hours a day in the freezing cold for the little they have and now they’re being robbed.”

Community leaders on the southwest side say vendors who work together to eke out a humble living with cash are being attacked and terrorized.

“Worst of all, I’ll be completely clear, when street vendors complain to the city about public safety, they don’t deploy more security, they deploy more inspectors. That’s sad,” Sigcho-Lopez said.

Police say no arrests have been made in connection with these armed robberies.