Couple charged with robbing Naperville CVS, claiming HIV-infected needle
Warrants have been issued and charges filed against a Chicago couple accused of robbing a Naperville CVS Pharmacy with a hypodermic needle they claimed was filled with HIV-positive blood.
Sanjay Malhotra, 49, of the 300 block of North Pulaski Road in Chicago, is being held in Cook County jail on $100,000 bail after his arrest Friday night inside a Jewel-Osco store on the 2900 block of North Ashland Avenue on Chicago's North Side. A $250,000 arrest warrant also has been issued for him in DuPage County, where prosecutors say he is charged with armed robbery with a weapon.
Janine Gurgone, 32, of the 3600 block of Pulaski in Chicago, also is charged with armed robbery in the Nov. 15 holdup of the CVS Pharmacy at 1299 E. Ogden Ave. A $25,000 arrest warrant also was issued for her late Monday.
Police say the pair threatened store employees with the needle and stole several medications.
Paul Darrah, spokesman for DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin, said he expects Malhotra to eventually be brought to DuPage County to face charges. Officials were unable to confirm whether Gurgone was in custody Tuesday afternoon.
Through the investigation into the robbery in Chicago, Chicago police discovered that he matched the description of a similar armed robbery that happened in Niles Nov. 14 at a CVS store on the 9600 block of Milwaukee Avenue and the Naperville robbery.
“Those are our suspects,” Naperville police Cmdr. Jason Arres said Tuesday. “A collaboration of great police work between Chicago, Niles and Naperville led the identification of these two.”