Little Village volunteers step up to protect street vendors from robberies
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Volunteers are stepping up in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood to watch out for street vendors after an increase in robberies.
"Those are easy targets. They don't have a voice, but they do have us and we are going to make these people know they have people that protects them," said Angel Valdes, Brown Beret volunteer.
RELATED: Little Village street vendors targeted by armed robbers again, demand more police patrols
Valdes is a machine operator by day and took a vacation Wednesday to patrol 26th Street early this morning as a Brown Beret, an organization he describes as an activist group to serve and protect the community. He is also a Little Village resident.
"We need a lot of volunteers until the city and mayor come up with a plan to do a permanent protection for," he said.
READ MORE: Chicago street vendors fight for more protection after several robberies, assaults
Kristian Armendariz is a community organizer with the Little Village Community Council. He and some other council members have been getting up early to make it safer for the street vendors.
"It's providing a sense of protection, of vigilance, so they can go on with their day to day business and provide food on the table for their families," he said.
Velasquez said she usually sells 200 tamales each morning. And she told ABC7 they are happy for the volunteers taking care of her and the vendors as well, as residents who are up early going to work.
The council is looking for more people to help. Council organizers hope more people will volunteer to support the vendors and deter crime.
