Two charged with robberies, including Elmhurst holdup

Two men have been charged in connection with robberies in Chicago and the suburbs, including one at a gas station last week in Elmhurst, the FBI announced Tuesday.

Chicago residents Emanuel Gavin, 24, and Henry Fabela, 24, were charged with robbery Monday after armed holdups at cellphone stores, gas stations and other businesses between January and April, authorities said.

The robbery in Elmhurst occurred about 4:30 p.m. April 25 at the Clark station on the 100 block of North Addison Avenue.

Gavin, who wore a hooded sweatshirt and blue surgical mask covering his face, is accused of asking a clerk for a pack of cigarettes before pulling out a handgun and demanding cash, according to a criminal complaint.

Gavin then left the store and entered a Jeep Patriot driven by another person, authorities said.

FBI agents linked the robbery to others with a similar pattern. During robberies in Chicago, Homewood, Berwyn and Skokie, a suspect entered businesses wearing a surgical mask and brandishing a handgun before leaving in a black Jeep Patriot, authorities said.

Agents traced the license plate number on the Jeep to a residence where Fabela lived, authorities said.

On Friday afternoon, an FBI agent followed the vehicle to a Metro PCS store on the 2000 block of West 47th Street in Chicago. The agent reported seeing Gavin enter the store and later leave with cash protruding from his pocket, according to the criminal complaint. Gavin then entered the Jeep and officers blocked the vehicle from leaving, authorities said.

Officers arrested Gavin and Fabela at the scene and recovered an airsoft gun, $725, gloves, a surgical mask and a Metro PCS cellphone charger, according to the criminal complaint.

During interviews, Gavin told investigators he had committed a series of robberies with Fabela, according to the criminal complaint.

Fabela told investigators he was in Elmhurst on the day of the robbery there but denied involvement, according to the complaint. About 15 minutes into the interview, Fabela asked for an attorney, authorities said.