Ring recovered after Des Plaines chase, police say
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Four employees of a Des Plaines jewelry store chased down a man they say attempted Tuesday to steal a $19,500 ring.
Henry M. Merrill, 42, of the 17500 block of Oakwood Drive, Hazel Crest, was arrested around 4 p.m. Jan. 29 on the south side of Des Plaines and charged with felony theft and felony robbery, police said.
Police reports gave this account: Merrill put a ring on his pinkie finger and ran out of R.C. Wahl Jewelers, 1514 E. Miner St., around 3:25 p.m. Tuesday. Four employees followed, opening the front driver's-side door of his car after he had climbed in and started the car. They struggled with him, preventing him from driving away.
He took the ring off and gave it to one of the employees, then backed up the car, but the open driver's-side door hit two employees. He made a U-turn onto eastbound Miner Street and turned onto southbound Pearson Street and disappeared. Employees alerted police, described Merrill's car, and officers found and stopped him.
His court date is Feb. 8.
