Police: Man robbed elderly man at casino

An Elgin man stole money from the hand of an elderly man in a casino, Elgin police said, and he now faces robbery charges.

Police responded to the Grand Victoria Casino, 250 S. Grove Ave. on Sunday for a report of a robbery, police said in a news release.

A 79-year-old man told police that he cashed a $5,000 check and began walking around the casino with the money in his hand. While playing the slots, he was approached by a stranger who spoke to him and then left. The same stranger approached him again a short time later and yanked some of the money from his hand before fleeing, police said.

Sean Sheppard, of the 500 block of Shenandoah Trail, was eventually identified through the police investigation. Police say they located some of the missing money and half of a torn bill in Sheppard's house that matched a bill torn during the robbery.

Sheppard was charged with one count of robbery with a victim older than 60 years old, a class 1 felony. He appeared in bond court Monday morning where his bond was set at $75,000.