It is no secret that Oak Park’s armed robberies are up a staggering 250% this year, in spite of the handgun ban. This week’s armed robberies continued that trend, and included a brazen armed robbery that took place right across the street from the Oak Park police station.
- Oak Park, IL Police are investigating an armed robbery that took place in a pizza shop right across the street from the Oak Park Police Department, in the 100 block of Madison Street. Police say that a 25-year-old gunman displayed a handgun and demanded money.
- Three Chicago teenagers, armed with a handgun, reportedly attempted to rob a man on the 1st block of Lake St in Oak Park, Illinois.
Armed robberies are never a good thing; however it is worse when criminals are so bold as to rob a restaurant across the street from the police station. I would have to speculate that this boldness is the result of Oak Park’s reduction in police protection, Oak Park’s status as a so-called “handgun free zone” in which only criminals have handguns, and Oak Park’s previous decision to prosecute a business owner who defended himself from an armed robber.
Oak Park should follow in footsteps of Morton Grove, Wilmette, and Evanston, and repeal its handgun ban. Doing so will allow Oak Park’s citizens to defend themselves against criminals, who already ignore the handgun ban. Repealing the handgun ban will also save the cash strapped village of Oak Park some much needed money in legal fees, which would otherwise be wasted trying to defend the likely unconstitutional handgun ban.