For the last 14 years, Maria Aguilar has woken up bright and early to sell tamales and champurrado — a Mexican chocolate-based drink— to folks starting their day in Little Village.
On Thursday morning, Aguilar, 50, was helping a customer at her usual spot near 26th Street and Homan Avenue when she noticed a white car come to a quick stop.
Four people got out of the car and approached her with guns drawn. One of them pressed a gun against her head and demanded cash, she said. They took $75 from Aguilar and $200 from her customer.
“I now have a lot of fear, and I’m very scared,” Aguilar said, adding that it’s the fourth time she’s been robbed since November. “I sometimes don’t even want to go out and sell, but I have to pay bills, pay rent.”
Aguilar joined other street vendors, activists and residents at the 10th District police station Thursday afternoon to demand the department provide more resources to protect vendors. They say three other street vendors in the area were robbed around the same time and have been increasingly targeted in recent months.
Police said the robbers who attacked Aguilar were driving a four-door sedan and were 17 to 19 years old. No arrests have been reported.
Baltazar Enriquez, president of the Little Village Community Council, said the council has brought the issue up with police in the past. He wants more officers from other areas of the city to be on duty early in the morning on 26th Street to deter the robberies.
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“When the Mag Mile gets hit, they take our resources, our police officers and send them that way,” Enriquez said. “So why not do the same thing when this happens to our neighborhood?”
Twenty-sixth street in Little Village is an important economic hub for the city and neighborhood. The 2-mile stretch is lined with many independent storefronts and restaurants.
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Enriquez added that he’s concerned that robbers will start to target those businesses if they don’t see an increased police presence. “We have two miles of nothing but businesses, so it’s really hurting our community.”
Enriquez said the 10th District commander agreed to meet with the community Friday afternoon.
Robberies in the 10th Police District, which includes Little Village, jumped 13% in 2022 compared with the previous year, according to statistics kept by Chicago police.
A CPD spokesperson said in a statement that in response to the recent robberies of street vendors the department has provided “special attention and visibility” to the affected areas.
“The Chicago Police Department is committed to strengthening safety for our residents and street vendors across the city, including in our Little Village community,” the spokesperson said. “We will continue to adjust resources as necessary as we work to combat these crimes.”
Aguilar, a mother of four, said she wants to feel safe while outside working again.
“When a customer gets in line, I have a fear that they may be robbers,” Aguilar said. “I just ask for more security because we have no way to defend ourselves.”
