Dupage Policy Journal

A North Aurora Target barricaded its doors on Easter Sunday as a safety measure. 

The Target store is located at 1800 Orchard Gateway Blvd. in North Aurora.  

"We closed on Easter Sunday," an employee told DuPage Policy Journal. "So whenever we are closed we have to block the doors. Just for safety reasons…the story wasn’t open." 

The employee said they were unable to disclose if the store was concerned about looting.  

"There is certain stuff I can’t…we were just closed that day."  Another source told the DuPage Policy Journal the store barricaded its doors for fear of looting. 

A smash-and-grab trend has been on the rise in Aurora. Last year, a coordinated group stole $120,000 in merchandise from the Louis Vuitton store at Oak Brook Mall. 

"The robberies have a huge impact on a community," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said at the time. "People are concerned. This is not an imagined fear."

The news comes as the City of Aurora received $1.2 million to repair damaged businesses and areas affected by rioting in 2020.  

"During the civil unrest that unfolded in the summer of 2020, 85 businesses and organizations throughout the City of Aurora were the victims of burglaries, criminal damage, and arsons," said Aurora Police Chief Keith Cross. "This grant will allow us to protect our businesses, residents and visitors into the future and will provide real-time information that will help direct the daily response of our public safety personnel."

Despite the unrest under his watch, GOP gubernatorial candidate and Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin praised a bill that allows for cashless bail throughout the state as well as provides other soft-on-crime reforms. 

Irvin recently said he openly supported Black Lives Matter despite the destruction occurring to his city.  An attendee at that event noted that Irvin "said he supported BLM publicly to save the city from more looting."