Pilsen Business Owner Opts For Creative Punishment For Looting Teens Instead Of Pressing Charges
CHICAGO (CBS) -- There have been calls for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the state's attorney to hold looters accountable. A group of them was arrested in Pilsen over the weekend, but the store owner had an idea of his own for a punishment.
The Boost Mobile on 18th is all boarded up now after at least three separate break in attempts. The people who did it were caught, but they won't be doing any time thanks to owner Jose Luis Guerra Jr.
"On this one they used a tire rod and a brick, and on this one they used a bat," he said.
He has been busy boarding it up and changing the locks.
"This was the one with the kids who got caught," he said. "They were like 14-, 15-year-old kids."
Surveillance video shows at least two people breaking the glass over the weekend with a baseball bat but quickly running away before entering.
"Somebody shot at them so they started running to scare them," he said.
The teens seen bashing the glass were caught by the Chicago Police Department down the street.
"I showed the officers the video," said Guerra Jr. "He asked if I could identify them. I said, 'Sure I have the video."
He had them pinned. His video was the evidence needed to move forward with charges.
"They asked if I wanted to press charges, and I said no," he said.
But Guerra Jr. asked the police not to charge the teenagers -- a shock even to the officers.
"Yes, they were surprised that we didn't do anything," he said. "I didn't press no charges or nothing. Like, just wanted them to get picked up by their parents, so they could know what they are doing is wrong."
Despite the strong evidence, Guerra Jr. was more interested in a lesson than a rap sheet.
"I was young before, and I did bad things. So I didn't want them to get a record. I never had a record so I didn't want them to have a record," he said. "From my point of view I was like why press charges on the youth?"
The other break-ins that were caught on camera, including the one where you actually see someone enter. There have been no additional arrests, and in all of this no merchandise was taken.