Man in ‘peacekeeper’ vest charged with robbing, beating man in Little Village

A man in a neon "peacekeeper" vest beat up and robbed a man in Little Village Friday night, police said, just as dozens of violence prevention workers sprawled out across Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend.

Oscar Montes, 31, and another man were seen on a police surveillance camera striking a man seated in a car late Friday in the 2300 block of South Washtenaw Avenue, according to a police report.

When officers arrived, Montes was walking away and trying to take off the neon vest, the report states.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

It’s unclear which violence prevention organization, if any, Montes was working for.

Montes was arrested and charged with aggravated battery, robbery and vehicular invasion, according to court documents. He and the other man, who hasn’t been charged yet, stole the victim’s cellphone and wallet, according to the criminal complaint.

The victim was beaten so badly he was hospitalized and unable to sign a complaint against the suspects, the report states.

Montes is expected to appear in court later Sunday.

Montes was paroled last May from Illinois prison following an aggravated battery conviction. In that case, from 2012, prosecutors charged him with attempted murder. But Montes accepted a plea deal of 12 years in prison for just the battery charge.