This week there was “only” one armed robbery reported in Oak Park, although the criminals seem to have made up for it by beating and robbing some other Oak Park residents:
- An Aurora man was robbed of his wallet by a handgun ban ignoring criminal, as he stood outside smoking a cigarette on the 300 block of South Harvey Avenue in Oak Park, IL.
The reported unarmed robberies and attempts:
- Two 17-year-olds from Chicago were chased down and arrested following an alleged attempted robbery on the 100 block of South Scoville Ave. The pair allegedly jumped an Oak Park man from behind as he walked on the 400 block of South Scoville, choked him, pushed him to the ground, and tried to steal the bag he was carrying. The two were apprehended a short distance away.
- A man was approached from behind by a would-be robber, who stated, “Gimmie your stuff.” When the would-be victim ran out into the middle of Austin Boulevard to escape, he saw a second man, who then ran off with the first assailant.
Once again we have an armed robber who wasn’t deterred by the handgun ban, and the $1,000 fine he would have faced for possessing the gun. Oak Park’s handgun ban just doesn’t stop criminals from having guns, as a criminal who doesn’t fear a felony armed robbery conviction won’t fear a $,1000 fine. What Oak Park’s handgun ban does do is ensure that law abiding citizens are left vulnerable to home invaders and other violent criminals.
The attempted robbery in which the Oak Park citizen was beaten, chocked, and shoved to the ground illustrates some important points too. First, taking away the “great equalizer” (guns) turns a civilized society into one where the physically stronger dominate the physically weaker. Since many if not most strong arm robbers are young males, banning guns puts the weaker members of society at a disadvantage. Secondly, this should show that criminals will commit their crime, regardless of whether they have a gun. It is the intentional actions of humans that are the problem, not gun ownership. Indeed, gun ownership by law abiding citizens is the solution to crime.