CHICAGO – Six men have been charged following a daytime smash-and-grab robbery at a Rolex boutique in downtown Chicago on Friday, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
What we know:
According to court documents, the men arrived in a red Nissan SUV outside the store in the 700 block of North Michigan Avenue around 2:34 p.m. Four of them allegedly approached the storefront — three carrying hammers — and began smashing large holes in the windows.
The suspects then grabbed watches while one shopper and several employees took shelter in a security room, watching the heist unfold on surveillance cameras. Five watches, valued at $170,500, were stolen, prosecutors said. No injuries were reported.
After returning to the Nissan, the men led police on a chase through downtown, heading south on Lake Shore Drive before merging onto the Dan Ryan Expressway.
A Chicago Police Department helicopter tracked the vehicle as it exited I-94 at 51st Street. The chase ended when the Nissan crashed into a parked car, and the suspects fled on foot before being taken into custody. Police later recovered four of the five stolen watches.
What they’re saying:
“Organized retail thieves need to understand we take these crimes extremely seriously and will prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke said. “These are far from victimless crimes, and I applaud the Chicago Police Department for their swift work bringing these offenders to justice.”
The suspects — identified as Victory Banks, 33; Will Brown, 21; Aldonte Goodman, 22; Anthony Hampton, 24; Dalvin Johnson, 31; and Armon Williams, 18 — are each charged with theft of property valued between $100,000 and $500,000, burglary, and criminal damage to property between $500 and $10,000. All charges are felonies.
They appeared in First Appearance Court on Sunday and were ordered detained.
The Source: Details for this story were provided in a press release from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.