Oak Park, Illinois’ local newspaper reports that the series of armed robberies which hit Oak Park is continuing. This is despite Oak Park’s longstanding handgun ban. I suppose the armed robbers are unaware of the handgun ban, since the $1,000 fine for violating the handgun ban would clearly deter someone bent on armed robbery. Or perhaps the criminals will continue to commit crimes despite the handgun ban, which only leaves the law abiding citizens unable to defend themselves?
Details for a few of the recent armed robberies, as reported by the Wednesday Journal :
- April 22: Two criminals entered the Convenient store at 910 S. Ridgeland Ave. One was carrying a silver revolver. The gunman ordered the employee onto the floor, and the second criminal took $500 from the cash register, then stole a gold chain from around the employee’s neck. Both criminals then escaped.
- April 26: Two criminals entered a restaurant on the 7100 block of Roosevelt Rd. Both were carrying silver pistols. The robbers escaped with $1,330.
- May 9: Two men jumped another man walking south at Marion and Pleasant in the early morning. One of them displayed a pistol and placed it at the side of the victim’s head, stating “shut up or I’ll cap [you].” The other criminal grabbed the victim’s cell phone, hat, and wallet. The criminals escaped with $440 worth of the victim’s property.
- May 11: A criminal entered the 7-Eleven at 240 W. Chicago Ave. with a black pistol in the early morning. The criminal ordered the clerk to open the register, threatened to shoot if he did not comply, and then escaped with about $300.
This is yet another reason why I support gun rights.
You'd figure the government would've learned something from the Prohibition era. Alcohol was banned, but people who wanted to drink still did, legit businesses closed down (also costing the gov't huge amounts of money in taxes), and organized crime soared.
Well, I guess people who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.