Chicago news crew robbed while reporting on robberies.

Television News Crew Robbed While Reporting on Chicago Robberies

A television news crew reporting on a string of ​robberies in Chicago became the criminals’ next target Monday morning.

A Univision Chicago reporter and photographer were robbed at⁤ gunpoint‌ by three men in ski masks around ⁢5 ⁢a.m. ​Monday in the city’s West Town neighborhood,‌ the Chicago Tribune reported. The Spanish ‍language ​network said the thieves mostly took personal items along ⁢with a camera.

“We don’t want to make the story about us, ​because⁣ there were other robberies that occurred ⁢within that same‍ period,” said Luis⁢ Godinez, ‍the vice president of ‌news at Univision Chicago.

The thieves approached them after driving up‌ in a gray sedan and black SUV and demanded money from the⁤ journalists before going through their SUV and taking the camera, a backpack, and two bags of‍ equipment, according to ‍Raza Siddiqui, president of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians Local‍ 41, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. ⁢The suspects then fled⁣ in the vehicles after stealing the items. ⁤Police identified the victims as a 28-year-old man and a 42-year-old man.

The journalists were⁢ working on a story about a string of robberies that have affected the West Town neighborhood, but the footage they captured Monday morning never ⁣aired since ⁢it was taken on a ​camera that was stolen,‍ Godinez said.‍ No one was⁣ injured during the robbery and police have so far not placed anyone⁢ in custody for the crime.

“They’re OK,” Godinez said of his employees, adding, “we’re working on⁣ it ⁤together as a team.”

Earlier this month, another Chicago journalist was ‌assaulted and robbed in⁣ the ‍West Town neighborhood while preparing to report on an afternoon update for WLS-TV. That assault and​ robbery prompted union ​president Siddiqui to warn people about the threats reporters and photographers face on the streets.

“Our news‍ photographers and reporters provide a very important public service in keeping our ‍community informed,” Siddiqui said, according to the Tribune. “We are committed to making⁣ sure that their safety comes first. We have talked to⁤ the photographer who was robbed today ‌and he is thankfully safe and in good⁤ spirits.”

Chicago ⁤saw ‍a spike in crime shortly after electing its new⁢ mayor ‌Brandon ‍Johnson in May. ​Vehicle thefts jumped 153%,​ aggravated battery was up 17%, and burglary rose 12% in June, according to The Washington Examiner. Johnson is focusing his energy on fighting the rise in vehicle theft by suing ​car companies⁣ Kia and Hyundai, alleging ‍that their vehicles lack the appropriate anti-theft measures, Fox 32 reported.

“The impact of⁢ car theft ‌on Chicago residents can be deeply destabilizing, particularly​ for low- ‌to⁤ middle-income​ workers‍ who have fewer options for getting to work and taking care of their⁤ families,” Johnson said. “The failure of Kia and Hyundai to install basic auto-theft prevention technology in these models is sheer negligence, and as a result, a citywide‍ and nationwide ‍crime spree around automobile theft has been unfolding right before‍ our eyes.”

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