Hotel Security Guard Chases Purse Snatcher Who Attacked 51-Year-Old Woman In Wicker Park
WICKER PARK — A hotel security guard chased down a purse snatcher who attacked a 51-year-old woman along Milwaukee Avenue on Wednesday.
“The way he knocked her down, I was hoping to get him. I was glad I did. Everyone was thanking me. She fell and hit her face against her car and was bleeding,” said Daniel Mercado, a security guard for The Robey.
The incident occurred around 3:27 p.m. Wednesday in the 1600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, according to Officer Christine Calace, a Chicago Police spokeswoman.
Calace said a 51-year-old woman was slapped in the face, knocked down and had her purse taken by a 19-year-old man.
The man is in custody and being questioned by Area North Detectives, Calace said. Charges are pending.
Mercado, who works for Seal Tight Security, said he was patrolling the streets around The Robey hotel in Wicker Park when he heard screams.
“She was screaming and standing on Milwaukee [Avenue]in front of Wing Stop. He slapped her hard, an elbow in her face. She was knocked down and hit her face against her car. He took her purse and ran down the street to the empty lot across from 7-Eleven. He threw her purse over the fence and he couldn’t jump the fence. I ran after him, grabbed him and handcuffed him,” Mercado told Pipeline.
Mercado said a bystander who witnessed the robbery called 911.
The woman’s purse was recovered and she refused medical attention, Calace said.
Santiago Leon, The Robey’s general manager, praised Mercado.
“I’m thankful that people are taking action to make our community safer in moments when it feels like it has gotten out of control. Although it’s not my recommendation to confront a criminal physically unless you have some training like Danny does, there are many ways to help, whether it’s reporting, observing, or calling out for help. Danny’s brave actions are a contribution to our neighborhood,” Leon said.
