A South Side shop owner is attacked and numerous prom dresses are stolen over the weekend, leaving teens devastated and parents furious.
According to Chicago police, the incident occurred on Friday at approximately 12:20 p.m. in the 1400 block of West 37th Street.
Binta Diallo, who owns Binta Sagale Dresses, says she was working on a prom dress for a customer when a mom and aunt attacked her.
“They both jumped me while the daughter was stealing dresses in the shop,” she said.
She says that more dresses were taken while her assistant tried to manage the business.
“None of the people who went in that day and picked up dresses paid me,” she said.
She says that yet more dresses were stolen on Sunday. Diallo says she refunded customers money due to the lost dresses, but that insurance won't cover the loss.
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“I refunded over $30,000 to people,” she said. “All of these people are hurt, because of those people that came to the shop and stole the dresses.”
Some parents say the communication over the incidents has left them fuming.
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“It’s so upsetting, sad and disappointing,” Shonda Lemon said
Lemon says she never received an apology, and hasn’t received information outside of social media posts from the company.
“That’s not right. She dropped the ball,” she said.
Diallo says she isn’t sure if she wants to continue operating her business.
“This is unacceptable, and this is why we don’t have business in the city,” she said. “This used to be my happy place. Now look at this. I don’t want to be here.”
