Kimberly Bares, the President and CEO of The Magnificent Mile Affiliation, stated after latest felony exercise, the group is stepping as much as the problem.
“Violent crime has been up and that is what has us involved,” Bares stated. “Carjackings, restoration of weapons, some shootings — these sorts of issues.”
Just lately, there have been robberies, carjackings, smash-and-grab burglaries, and even a taking pictures close to the Magnificent Mile. On Thursday afternoon, thieves swiped coats from Canada Goose within the newest felony case.
“We wish to see the Cook dinner County State’s Legal professional’s Workplace prosecuting. When the police have put collectively a strong case, we wish to see that prosecuted. And we wish to see the judiciary sentence appropriately,” Bares stated.
The workplace of Cook dinner County State’s Legal professional Kim Foxx responded in a written assertion, which stated partially: “Public security is the highest precedence of this workplace, and we’ll proceed to carry these accountable for driving the violence in our communities when police make an arrest and costs are permitted. The CCSAO stays dedicated to working with our regulation enforcement companions to handle violence and crime and can proceed to prosecute felony instances primarily based on the regulation and the proof as we attempt to extend security in our communities.”
Violent crime is rising in zip code 60611, which incorporates the Magazine Mile, based on CPD knowledge, however it nonetheless has a decrease violent crime charge than town.
To this point this yr, 30 violent crimes have been reported within the zip code, which is up from 22 for a similar interval final yr.
As for a year-to-year comparability: in 2021, there have been 313 violent crimes reported in 60611, which is up one-third from 2020.
Buyers are involved in regards to the rising felony statistics.
“I usually really feel protected down right here. Nevertheless, I fear in regards to the crime,” stated Geoff Peters, a involved shopper.
Ishaan Kohli was procuring on a latest winter afternoon. He lives close by and has taken notice of the elevated crime.
“It is getting fairly unhealthy,” he stated. “All these shops getting hit. You do not wish to be in that state of affairs.”
Bares stated it’s vital to maintain the Magnificent Mile engaging, viable and welcoming, and she or he rapidly factors to statistics that show her level. She added the district generates $2 billion {dollars} a yr in property taxes, 20% of Chicago jobs are within the space, together with two-thirds of Chicago’s lodge rooms.
“Once I begin to put these statistics collectively, I believe folks then perceive why this district is so vital,” Bares stated.
When requested in regards to the growing crime charges, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s spokesman had this written response, partially, stating: “Public security requires partnerships between authorities, enterprise, and group and Mayor Lightfoot stays firmly dedicated to persevering with and strengthening these partnerships.”
Whereas combating crime wasn’t a part of The Magnificent Mile Affiliation’s focus previously, it’s now.
“It isn’t been in our historical past to do rather a lot round public security and advocacy, that is not what we had been constructed for,” Bares stated. “However you’ve gotten seen us reply, you’ve gotten seen us step as much as the problem, we’ll proceed to try this.”
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