Video: Chicago father robbed at gunpoint on front porch in broad daylight with children near, police say same armed bandits may have pulled off 48 similar heists



Crime in Chicago continues to leave locals on edge as criminals continue to pull off brazen robberies. A Chicago father was robbed at gunpoint on the front porch of his home in broad daylight with his children near the scary situation. Police suspect the same armed bandits may have pulled off nearly 50 similar heists in recent weeks.

The audacious armed robbery occurred in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood — a predominantly Hispanic community.

Victor Galena Sr. was on his way to work around 6 a.m. on Friday. However, Galena didn't make it off his front porch before being robbed at gunpoint by several men wearing black ski masks.

Three men were robbed during the harrowing ordeal.

Victor Galena Jr. told WBBM-TV of his father being robbed, "The first guy that was standing closer to the truck – he got the guns pulled out to him, and from there, that's when they started pointing a gun at my dad, and the other guy who was up here on those stairs."

The father put aside his own safety and was more concerned about his family still asleep inside the house – his wife, five children, sister, and nephews. Galena Sr. stood in the doorway to stop the thieves from entering his home.

"In case they try to force their way in there, then he was going to fight back,” the son said.

Galena Jr. said of his dad, "He says he doesn't feel like a hero. It was just mostly like a father's instinct that kicked in."

The group of armed thugs stole money that Galena Sr. and his two companions planned to spend on construction tools that day, according to the New York Post.

The crew of thieves fled the crime scene. The Chicago Police Department said the same group robbed at least 10 other victims. Police suspect that the criminal squad could be behind 48 armed robberies and carjackings around Chicago's West and Northwest sides since April 22.

The police said the posse targets residents leaving for or arriving at their jobs in the early morning hours.

The Chicago Police described the suspects in a community alert, "Three to four African American male subjects, ranging from 17-21 years of age, wearing black ski masks, dark clothing, and blue gloves."

Law enforcement said the suspects were driving a stolen vehicle.

Police had yet to arrest anyone connected to the armed robberies.

Chicago was besieged by a rash of violent crimes last weekend. There were more than 50 people shot and over 10 killed in Chicago during Memorial Day weekend gun violence, despite city and state leaders touting "peacekeepers" patrolling the streets.

According to CPD statistics, robberies are up 16%, theft increased 17%, and motor vehicle thefts skyrocketed 133% in the past year.

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Chicago thieves realize they carjacked the wrong vehicle when off-duty corrections officer thwarts armed hold-up by returning gunfire



A group of carjackers picked the absolute wrong person to try to steal a car from. The armed hold-up backfired completely when an off-duty correctional officer thwarted a carjacking by returning gunfire.

The carjacking gone awry happened around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday in South Chicago. The off-duty correctional officer was driving down an alley in the 7900 block of South Phillips Avenue when at least three males approached the vehicle with the intent of stealing the car, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

One of the men pulled out a gun and demanded the driver get out of his car. When the officer didn't get out of the vehicle, several shots were fired his direction, but the driver was not struck.

The 36-year-old off-duty officer returned fire, and hit the gunman in the arm and the groin. The other two would-be thieves fled the scene.

David Hall, one of the alleged participants in the carjacking, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center at 2:41 a.m. He was treated and released into Chicago Police custody.

A .38-caliber pistol was recovered at the scene, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

The robbery suspect is on parole for felony theft for stealing a television from a pawn shop, police said.

Hall, 19, is charged with one felony count each of attempted first-degree murder, attempted vehicular hijacking, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, according to a statement from Chicago police.

According to recent Chicago Police Department crime statistics, thefts are down 27% this year compared to 2019, and robberies are down 3%. Motor vehicle thefts are nearly identical this year to last year. However, murders are up a whopping 52% in 2020 versus last year.

Last month, the Chicago Police Department tried to crack down on crime by creating a 20-person unit to monitor social media activity of anyone planning on looting, cancelling all days off for police officers, and had cops working 12-hour shifts.

"We've increased our numbers on the street, on the ground, in our downtown area, in our neighborhoods," Brown said. "That's the number one difference. We have extended hours that our officers work, we have extended the number of days they work in a week by canceling days off. So there is an increase of 1,000 officers above what would normally be here."